'We will file charges against President Gustavo Petro and his team members before national and international courts': Keralty Group

The confrontation between the government and the Keralty Group escalated to its highest point after President Gustavo Petro's statements during his presidential address on Monday, July 15 , in which he leveled serious accusations against the conglomerate and its president, Joseba Grajales. During his televised address, the president called the businessman "a criminal in Colombia" and assured that he would take measures to force him out of the country.

“ The owner of Keralty is a criminal in Colombia . He must leave. Even if I have to speak to the King of Spain or whoever else, I will remove him,” Petro said, accusing the group of illegally financing political campaigns and draining the healthcare system through the EPS Sanitas, which was under the control of the Supersalud (Health Superintendency) until a few days ago.

These statements came after the Constitutional Court's ruling that declared the government's intervention in the EPS Sanitas illegal, a decision that represents a legal setback for the executive branch in its attempt to reform the health system through direct intervention in private insurers.

In response, Joseba Grajales sent a letter this Tuesday to Keralty Group employees and the public in which he states that the national government has unleashed a "systematic campaign of disinformation, riddled with lies, slander, and insults." He points out that this offensive seeks to "undermine, without any basis, the legitimacy of our work, the value of our history, and the reputation of those of us who lead with responsibility and commitment."

Faced with this situation, Grajales announced that the company will initiate legal action against President Petro, members of his team, and involved third parties. "We will file lawsuits before national and international courts not only against President Gustavo Petro, but also against the members of his government team who have collaborated in the dissemination of these lies, and against any person or entity—public or private—who attempts to damage, by action or omission, the image of this group, its institutions, or the people who comprise it," he warned.

In his letter, the group's president also defended the organization's record and urged its employees to remain steadfast in the face of the onslaught. "Let us remain standing. Our best defense lies in the millions of people who trust us […]. The noise of lies must not derail our course," he concluded.

Environment and Health Journalist