Colombia defends minister who led Guatemala corruption inquiry as row deepens

Country says accusations against Ivan Velásquez attempt by Guatemala to ‘persecute’ those investigating high-level corruption

A growing diplomatic row has broken out after Guatemala’s government accused Colombia’s defence minister of breaking the law during his time as the head of a UN-backed anti-corruption mission in Guatemala.

This week, Guatemala announced that Ivan Velásquez was being investigated for “illegal, arbitrary and abusive acts” stemming from his inquiry into corruption allegations involving the Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht.