Who is Armando Benedetti, the key man for Petro’s triumph and who “knows everything” from the president

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This week, after Petro accuse the government of Peru having “copied” a Colombian territory in the Amazon, Benedetti He served as a spokesman and He warned that the matter “would get very ugly” if it is not resolved.

“I am not talking about a war or war issues, but I am speaking that it becomes ugly because statements will come here seeking to settle the conflict …”he explained to Blu Radio.

In another statement, he argued that the territory “You have to delimit, not because there is a Peruvian bar, then it is from Peru.”

The key man of the campaign

After a long political career on the right, in 2022 Benedetti He led the campaign that led to Gustavo Petro to win the presidential elections in June of that year.

“Benedetti was Key in Petro’s victoryorganized the agenda, meetings and, according to himself, even helped to achieve resources … there is a well -known image of both sleeping on a plane during the campaign, reflecting its proximity at that time “ expressed to The trade journalist Mateo García, Time Policy Subeditor.

The exile

But once in power, for some reason that has not been publicly explained, Petro appointed A. Benedetti Ambassador to Venezuela.

“For Armando Benedetti, that was almost a punishmentbecause he wanted to be in Colombiahandling power, considered that he had won it ”, said to Commerce The journalist Luz María Sierradirector of The Colombian.

The audios that recalled to the Government

In 2023, a political scandal related to the irregular financing of the campaign, which included audios revealed by the magazine Semana where was heard Benedettihe cracked Circle that led Petro to power.

In one of the leaked conversations, Benedetti insults Laura Sarabiathat it was his private secretary and then became the right hand of the president, and tells him that if he tells the truth “We all sink, we all end up, we are imprisoned, we end up all the hijueputa cock “.

“I did a hundred meetings and got 15,000 million pesos (about 3.4 million dollars), moreover, if not for me, they don’t win (…) kick and there we all fall,” He continued.

As a consequence, the National Electoral Council (CNE) included a Benedetti In an investigation, which is still ongoing, for alleged violations of the limits of expenses in the presidential campaign.

Luz María Sierra He believes that Benedetti It was the one who leaked the audios. “Laura Sarabia had acquired a lot of power, it was almost the one that handled the threads of the Casa de Nariño, and Armando Benedetti permanently asked hersaid the director of El Colombiano.

After the scandal, Benedetti resigned from the embassy in Venezuela. Months later, Petro He relocated him as Colombia’s ambassador to the FAO In Rome.

“Petro reactivated the embassy against FAO especially for BenedettiThat is a very important detail, because that embassy was not active more than 20 years ago, who was in charge was the ambassador to Rome, ” Mateo García recalled.

Denounced by his wife and cocaine consumption

In July 2024, Blu Radio revealed that his wife, Adelina Guerrerohe denounced it in Spain for supposed gender violence.

Based on police reports MadridThe radio station reported that it was a verbal aggression of Benedetti against his wife in a private residence in the Spanish capital, which could have climbed to physical aggression, although witnesses present prevented this from happening. “Months later, Guerrero denied the events.

While I was in Rome, Benedetti revealed that he was addicted to cocaine and that had undergone detoxification treatment.

“With a group of friends we began to try what cocaine was, the drug, all to experiment. But I did not stay there, I come to stay there after old, so to speak, with the social part, the hustlesaid Benedetti a week.

The politician also said he had alcohol problems.

Benedetti’s return

In November 2024, Benedetti returned to the house of Nariño As a political advisor.

Then he was named Chief of Cabinet and in March 2025, Interior Ministerthe most important political position after the presidency of Colombia.

But why did he return to the government if from the beginning the president did not want him close?

“His return marked a renovated direct access to the presidentsomething that few in the cabinet have. It is considered The man who speaks to Petro “, Garcia said.

The journalist added that his experience as Political Operator in Congress It has been fundamental to unlock reforms promoted by Petro, such as the Labor reformwhich was stagnant for years.

He said that his return also reflects The president’s need to have a tanned politician who understands parliamentary dynamics.

The journalist Luz María Sierra said Benedetti has the political control And the experience that Petro He needs to face the legislative elections of March 2026 and to maintain the stability of his government.

“Petro has many possibilities of having a thunderous defeat, that’s why You are betting on these knowledgeable political operators of how the machinery is oil to gain votes, That’s what is betting to win. And that’s why he sacrificed his other team ”, Sierra said.

He added that at the beginning of his government, Petro He tried to surround himself with technicians and members of his political project. Then, when the technicians questioned him, they were displaced by Petro to give way to those who ideologically were related to him. And then, when they got angry at the return of Benedettithe president surrounded himself with questioned characters that are useful for his objectives.

There is also another reason for the return of Benedetti: He knows a lot about the president.

“He knows everything. He was the one who did the Tramoyas. When he filters the audios, it was blackmail to the government. That is why they receive it again. That is why they create that embassy in the FAO. And then it is not only blackmail, not only Petro needs to have it close to blackmail, but it is also useful for the elections that come in March ”Sierra remarked.

Political trajectory

• Armando Benedetti He began in politics as an advisor to the National Constituent Assembly of 1991.
• He was then councilor of Bogotá (1998–2000), where he stood out for denouncing irregularities and promoting addiction prevention policies.
• Between 2002 and 2006 he was a representative to the Chamber for Bogotá, promoted initiatives such as the anti -terrorism statute, presidential re -election and transitional justice laws.
• From 2006 to 2022 he was a senator for the Uribista Party of the U, from which he was president from 2016 to 2017.
• Supported Álvaro Uribemaximum representative of the Colombian right, and its successor Juan Manuel Santos.

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