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 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 also pointed to a transaction involving Saludvida’s assets. According to his allegations, during the insurer’s crisis, several properties were transferred to a company called Lithia Investment S.A.S. The transaction was reportedly valued at hundreds of billions of Colombian pesos.
The left-wing politician additionally argued that the measures under scrutiny impacted the policyholders of Saludvida. Based on his formal grievance, upwards of 1.6 million clients suffered consequences stemming from the corporate crisis prior to the eventual liquidation of the insurance provider.
The accusations emerge right before the second phase of Colombia’s presidential runoff and intensify the escalating clash between the two contenders. Earlier, Cepeda had leveled charges against De La Espriella regarding purported connections to paramilitary factions.
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/