Colombia’s Supreme Court has authorized the arrest of Senator Martha Peralta as part of its ongoing probe into the corruption scandal linked to the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), considered one of the country’s most prominent public corruption cases in recent years. The ruling was issued to guarantee the senator’s presence before the court during the judicial proceedings connected to the investigation.
According to the investigation, Peralta is under scrutiny for her purported role in the questionable allocation of public contracts tied to disaster risk management initiatives, with prosecutors and the court assessing evidence that ranges from witness statements to documents related to the supposed steering of contracts in the department of La Guajira, while the senator has repeatedly rejected any misconduct and insists the accusations against her lack merit.
The arrest order arises as part of a wider judicial push to define the duties of public officials and legislators allegedly tied to the UNGRD case, a scandal that began with questionable contracts and the handling of emergency funds but has since widened to implicate multiple current and former authorities, turning it into one of Colombia’s most extensive corruption probes in recent years.
Following the court’s decision, Peralta was taken into custody while the legal proceedings continue. Her defense sought to challenge the detention through legal remedies, arguing that the measure was unnecessary, but the judicial process remains underway as the Supreme Court advances its inquiry.
The case continues to draw significant political attention, as investigators seek to determine the extent of the alleged corruption network and the role of each individual under investigation. Authorities have stressed that the judicial process will proceed in accordance with Colombian law while preserving the rights of all parties involved.
Source: EL PAÍS and https://elpais.com/america-colombia/2026-06-19/la-corte-suprema-ordena-la-captura-de-la-congresista-martha-peralta-por-el-escandalo-de-corrupcion-de-la-ungrd.html
