Bogota: Colombian President Gustavo Petro revealed on Saturday that his son, Nicolas, has been arrested on charges of money laundering and illicit enrichment, which are linked to Petro's election campaign.

The arrest also includes Nicolas' ex-wife, Daysuris Vasquez. The scandal emerged in March when Vasquez alleged that Nicolas Petro received substantial sums of money from drug traffickers and smugglers in 2022 to support his father's successful presidential campaign. However, instead of using it for campaign purposes, he allegedly lived a luxurious life in Barranquilla, a city in the north of Colombia.

President Petro expressed his wishes for his son's luck and strength in a Twitter post, while also expressing his sadness at witnessing self-destruction. Prosecutors have confirmed the arrest of Nicolas Petro on charges of money laundering and illicit enrichment, and Vasquez faces charges related to the former offense as well.

Following the scandal, President Petro has consistently denied any involvement in receiving money from the country's drug lords. He voluntarily requested an investigation into his son's actions. Nicolas Petro had been a lawmaker for his father's party in the northern Atlantic department, and bank records published by news outlets showed discrepancies between his income and the amount of money he possessed.

In an interview, Vasquez claimed that her former husband received approximately $124,000 from a former drug trafficker named Samuel Santander Lopesierra. Santander Lopesierra had previously served 18 years in a US prison for drug trafficking.

The situation has become a significant challenge for President Petro and his family, and the authorities are now carrying out further investigations to determine the extent of the alleged money laundering and its potential impact on the election campaign.