Panel Ready to Clear Colombia President; Violence Feared

Opponents are crying “Cover-up!” and Colombians fear new violence as a congressional committee dominated by President Ernesto Samper’s political cronies prepares to clear him of charges that he financed his 1994 electoral campaign with drug money.

Chief congressional investigator Heyne Mogollon has recommended that the Congressional Committee of Accusations shelve a four-month inquiry into Samper’s activities for lack of proof of wrongdoing, Colombian newspapers reported Thursday.

The reports could not be independently confirmed, but many analysts say they believe them and expect the committee to follow Mogollon’s recommendation.

The committee has been investigating accusations by the president’s campaign treasurer, Santiago Medina, that Samper solicited money from the Cali drug cartel.

Eventually, more than $6 million in drug money entered Samper’s war chest, Medina said.

However, under oath, Medina told Mogollon that he cannot prove his allegations, according to the newspaper El Tiempo. Ending the inquiry would virtually ensure that the president will not face impeachment proceedings, but his reprieve could come at the price of increasing instability and violence, analysts said.

The committee ruling, expected early next week, could escalate the violence of vigilantes who have pledged to clean up Colombian politics at gunpoint, observers warned.

A group calling itself Movement for a Dignified Colombia has demanded Samper’s resignation and pressed the point by murdering an important conservative leader and trying to assassinate Samper’s lawyer. The same group has already threatened members of the congressional committee.

Some analysts fear the death squad could step up attacks in reprisal for what is widely perceived as a congressional whitewash.

“If this group committed terrorist acts to get Samper to resign, Samper’s absolution by Congress would give it even more reason to resort to violence,” said Alejandro Reyes, a political science professor at Bogota’s National University.

For less violent sectors of Colombian society, a committee ruling favorable to Samper will further erode confidence in government institutions, analysts said.

Few Colombians have faith in the congressional committee, which is dominated by Samper’s Liberal Party. Several party members have been either investigated or punished for improper behavior.

“I don’t believe the chief investigator was looking for the truth,” Conservative Party Sen. Eduardo Pizano said. “There is a feeling inside Congress that if Samper is forced to give up office, the next president will call for new congressional elections. Congressmen thus have an interest in seeing the president stay in office.”

Recent polls show that more than 50% of Colombians believe that Samper knew illegal funds were being used in his campaign.

One man in a position to press the popular belief in Samper’s guilt is crusading Prosecutor General Alfonso Valdivieso, who is leading a probe into political contributions by the Cali cocaine cartel.

Valdivieso is focusing on the drug connections of 18 members of Congress--mostly Liberal Party members, the attorney general and top Samper campaign officials.

His probe uncovered Medina’s involvement. If Valdivieso turns up new evidence against Samper, he could request that Congress reopen its investigation.