As an interim measure, Colombia’s Attorney General has suspended the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Álvaro Leyva, for three months over possible irregularities during the bidding for passports in that country.

The decision was made by the Disciplinary Chamber, which indicated that Leyva had “committed two disciplinary violations, provisionally classified as very serious, committed through fraud,” the Public Prosecution Service (OM) said in a statement.

Charges have also been filed for establishing apparent urgency during the development of the contractual process without any grounds for doing so.

“With regard to the decision of provisional suspension, the Disciplinary Chamber maintained that the measure was taken to prevent the possible recurrence of the disciplinary offenses attributed to him, taking into account his role in authorizing the costs of the Chancellery and that he acts as director of the new contractual process being implemented for passport management,” it added.

Leyva will also appear in court. Last September, the Public Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation against Leyva and the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, José Antonio Salazar, for alleged irregularities in the suspension of the tender for the issuance of the passports.

In the case of José Antonio Salazar, it was decided to archive the investigation. (JO)