Juliana Guerrero admits responsibility in case of irregular academic degrees
In a recent court hearing held in Bogotá, Juliana Guerrero, a former official linked to President Gustavo Petro’s government, formally accepted responsibility in the legal process regarding the acquisition and use of fraudulent academic degrees issued by the Fundación Universitaria San José. The 24-year-old, who appeared virtually, managed to seal a plea agreement with the Attorney General’s Office to resolve her legal situation.
Research details
The Attorney General’s Office charged Guerrero with the crimes of procedural fraud and ideological falsehood in a public document. According to the accusing entity, the former official had full knowledge of the irregularities surrounding her diplomas, which were included in her resume to apply for high-level state positions. The case focuses on two specific documents:
- A degree as a technologist in Accounting and Tax Management.
- A degree as a professional in Public Accounting.
Investigations indicate that, after partially completing studies at a university in the Cesar department, Guerrero attempted to carry out irregular procedures in Bogotá to validate her credits, actions that led to the issuance of the suspicious degrees. Subsequently, she presented this documentation to the Administrative Department of the Public Function to apply for the position of Vice Minister of Youth at the Ministry of Equality.
Pre-agreement conditions
After reaching an agreement with the authorities, the Prosecutor’s Office modified the classification of Guerrero’s participation, changing it from author to accomplice in the crime of procedural fraud. The former official expressed her remorse and offered public apologies, emphasizing that she will assume the legal consequences of her decisions without seeking to play the victim.
The pre-agreement establishes a sanction that includes the following key points:
- A maximum prison sentence of three years.
- A financial penalty equivalent to 100 current legal monthly minimum wages.
- A two-and-a-half-year disqualification from holding public office.
Also involved in the same judicial file is Luis Carlos Gutiérrez Martínez, former secretary general of the Fundación Universitaria San José, who also accepted a plea agreement after admitting his participation in the delivery of the fake degrees that gave rise to this judicial process.
