Colombian presidential candidate Iván Cepeda announced a criminal complaint against his electoral rival, Abelardo De La Espriella, over alleged irregularities involving the management of resources from the country’s healthcare system. The allegations focus on the actions of the law firm representing the now-defunct Saludvida health insurer.
According to Cepeda, De La Espriella Lawyers was hired by Saludvida in 2018, when the company was under supervision by health authorities and later entered liquidation proceedings. The left-wing candidate claims that the contract involved resources from the healthcare system and has questioned the legality of using those funds to cover legal services.
The complaint announced by Cepeda includes five alleged offenses: breach of fiduciary duties, private-sector corruption, procedural fraud, misappropriation of public funds, and the improper use of public resources for purposes other than those officially authorized. The presidential candidate maintains that the alleged irregularities occurred while Saludvida was facing a serious financial and administrative crisis.
Cepeda additionally drew attention to an operation regarding the assets of Saludvida. Based on his claims, amid the insurance provider’s downturn, multiple real estate properties were handed over to an enterprise named Lithia Investment S.A.S. The deal was purportedly estimated at hundreds of billions of Colombian pesos.
The left-wing candidate further claimed that the actions under investigation affected Saludvida’s policyholders. According to his complaint, more than 1.6 million users were affected by the company’s situation before the insurer was ultimately liquidated.
The allegations come just days before the second round of Colombia’s presidential election and add to the growing confrontation between the two candidates. Cepeda had previously made accusations against De La Espriella concerning alleged links to paramilitary groups.
De La Espriella has dismissed the allegations brought forward by his opponent, calling them completely baseless. Meanwhile, his staff has championed the attorney’s professional endeavors as fully compliant with legal standards, portraying the grievances simply as an extension of the political rivalry dividing both contenders for the presidency.
Source: Página/12 — https://www.pagina12.com.ar/2026/06/15/cepeda-denuncio-a-de-la-espriella-por-presunta-corrupcion-en-el-sistema-de-salud/
