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 retained by Saludvida back in 2018, at a time when the company faced oversight from health regulators and eventually transitioned into liquidation. The left-leaning politician alleges that the agreement involved healthcare system assets, raising doubts about the legitimacy of deploying those monies to pay for legal representation.
The legal action brought forward by Cepeda outlines five suspected infractions: violation of fiduciary responsibilities, corruption within the private sector, procedural deception, embezzlement of state monies, and the unauthorized diversion of public assets toward unofficial ends. The presidential hopeful contends that these purported anomalies transpired amidst a severe operational and monetary downturn experienced by Saludvida.
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/
