Juliana Guerrero, a figure close to Petro in Colombia, to face trial in fake diploma case

The Colombia Chief Prosecutor's Office has filed a formal lawsuit against Juliana Guerrero, one of the most controversial figures in President Gustavo Petro's circle. Guerrero will face trial on charges of public document forgery and operational fraud. She is alleged to have forged her academic credentials in order to secure the position of Deputy Minister of Youth. This incident has caused a massive uproar in Colombia politics and reignited debates regarding the appointment processes of figures close to the government. With the indictment presented by the Prosecutor's Office, the commencement of the trial process has drawn the attention of the public across the country.

As part of the ongoing judicial investigation, it was revealed that Guerrero obtained multiple fake diplomas in July 2025. According to the allegations, she fraudulently acquired academic titles in the fields of financial consultancy, financial management, tax technology, and the accounting of commercial operations. Although the diplomas in question were made to appear as if they were technically issued by the San Jose University Foundation, it was quickly established that this was not the case. The institution's own audit reports and official statements confirmed that Guerrero had never registered at this educational center. Furthermore, it was determined that the young woman never attended any classes and did not take the mandatory exams required by the Ministry of Education.

The Prosecutor's Office concluded that the crime of operational fraud was committed intentionally by Guerrero. Guerrero committed this crime by uploading her fake documents to the Public Employment Information and Management System (SIGEP II). According to the Chief Prosecutor's analyses, the primary purpose of this action was to present her resume as if it met the legal requirements before official institutions. It is assessed that with this deceptive strategy, she attempted to mislead public officials in order to be forcibly appointed to the position of Deputy Minister of Caution. The file prepared by the Prosecutor's Office emphasizes that the suspect was fully aware that the methods she used were illegal.

The judicial processes are not limited to Guerrero; Luis Carlos Gutiérrez, another individual found to be involved in the incident, will also appear before a judge. Gutiérrez served as the secretary of the San Jose University Foundation until September 22, 2025, when the fake diplomas were discovered. Following the emergence of the events, he was immediately dismissed by the foundation's board of directors. He will be tried for the crime of forgery in public documents and is said to have signed decrees falsely indicating that Guerrero fulfilled all academic and legal requirements. This situation has led to the questioning of internal audit mechanisms in educational institutions.

Despite all these corruption allegations and the filed criminal lawsuits, Juliana Guerrero continues to hold an important public office. Her continued service as the Presidential representative on the University Council of the Cesar Halk University is a major subject of criticism in the country. Furthermore, the comprehensive security protection provided to her by the National Protection Unit (UNP) has created a serious matter of public debate. Both defendants will have to officially respond to these forgery allegations before the court. This case is being closely monitored in terms of how the issues of merit and reliability in Colombia's public administration will be addressed in the future.