Judge orders collection of 1.65 billion peso note amid campaign loan controversy

A judge in Barranquilla has ordered the judicial execution of a promissory note valued at 1.65 billion pesos (approximately $420,000 USD), reigniting controversy over the origin of campaign funds for Atlántico Governor Eduardo Verano. The ruling allows for the seizure of assets and the collection of interest.

The legal action stems from a lawsuit filed by businessman Anatolio Santos Olaya, former secretary of Economic Development for Atlántico, against Pedro Juan Lemus Navarro, Laureano Augusto Acuña Díaz, Óscar Javier Pantoja Palacio, and Carlos Alberto Barragán Martínez. Santos alleges that he provided the funds to support Verano's successful 2023 gubernatorial campaign.

The decision, made by the Twelfth Civil Circuit Court of Barranquilla on May 12, rejected the defendants' arguments against the debt's enforceability. The court determined that a valid obligation exists for the 1.65 billion pesos and mandated the continuation of debt execution, including the payment of default interest from October 25, 2024, until full payment. The ruling also permits the appraisal and auction of any seized assets to guarantee the debt's repayment.

Santos, a prominent businessman who previously served Governor Verano, claims he disbursed the funds in several installments prior to the elections, with the promissory note signed afterward to formalize the obligation. He has publicly stated that the money has not been repaid, nearly two years after the alleged loan was made. This judicial order represents a significant setback for the defendants, as the court found their objections to the collection of the debt invalid.