Agentes de Seguridad de Obama removidos en Colombia por Conducta Inapropiada

Agencias Noticiosas

Los oficiales laboraban en el plan de seguridad de la Cumbre de las Américas en Cartagena, Colombia

Por Julie Pace

CARTAGENA, Colombia — Doce agentes del Servicio Secreto fueron relevados de sus funciones y devueltos a Estados Unidos por alegaciones de mala conducta. 

Prensa Asociada recibió una denuncia anónima de que la causa fue un incidente con prostitutas en Cartagena, sede de la Cumbre de las Américas, donde hoy llegó el presidente Barack Obama. 

Un portavoz del Servicio Secreto rehusó confirmar o negar esta información.

En una declaración emitida esta noche, el portavoz Edwin Donovan dijo que ya se sustituyó a los 12 agentes removidos. 

Agregó que el cambio de personal no afectará el plan de seguridad dispuesto para la visita del presidente a Colombia.

Otros medios informaron así del bochornoso caso:

Cartagena: 12 agentes del Servicio Secreto de Obama en escándalo de prostitución

Tomado de El Correo

Doce agentes del Servicio Secreto fueron relevados hoy de sus funciones y han sido regresados a Estados Unidos en medio de acusaciones de "mala conducta" durante la Cumbre de las Américas que se celebra en Cartagena, Colombia.

Según informa el Washington Post, el presidente de la Asociación Federal de Oficiales de Estados Unidos, Jon Adler, aseguró que las acusaciones se relacionan con al menos un caso de prostitución en Cartagena, a donde hoy llegó el presidente Barack Obama.

En una declaración emitida esta noche, el portavoz del Servicio Secreto, Edwin Donovan dijo que se sustituyó a los 12 agentes removidos pero se rehuso a confirmar o negar los cargos de prostitución y dijo que los actos de mala conducta ocurrieron antes de la llegada de Barack Obama a Cartagena la tarde del viernes.

Otros medios en Inglés lo publicaron así:

Misconduct alleged against Secret Service agents

By Julie Pace, Associated Press

A dozen Secret Service agents sent to Colombia to provide security for President Barack Obama at an international summit have been relieved of duty because of allegations of misconduct.

A caller who said he had knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press the misconduct involved prostitutes in Cartagena, site of the Summit of the Americas. A Secret Service spokesman did not dispute that.

A U.S. official, who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter and requested anonymity, put the number of agents at 12. The agency was not releasing the number of personnel involved.

The Washington Post reported that Jon Adler, president of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, said the accusations related to at least one agent having involvement with prostitutes in Cartagena. The association represents federal law enforcement officers, including the Secret Service.

Ronald Kessler, a former Post reporter and the author of a book about the Secret Service, told the Post that he had learned that 12 agents were involved, several of them married.

The incident threatened to overshadow Obama's economic and trade agenda at the summit and embarrass the U.S. The White House had no comment.

Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan would not confirm that prostitution was involved, saying only that there had been "allegations of misconduct" made against Secret Service personnel in the Colombian port city hosting Obama and more than 30 world leaders.

Donovan said the allegations of misconduct were related to activity before the president's arrival Friday night.

Obama was attending a leaders' dinner Friday night at Cartagena's historic Spanish fortress. He was due to attend summit meetings with regional leaders Saturday and Sunday.

Those involved had been sent back to their permanent place of duty and were being replaced by other agency personnel, Donovan said. The matter was turned over to the agency's Office of Professional Responsibility, which handles the agency's internal affairs.

"These personnel changes will not affect the comprehensive security plan that has been prepared in advance of the president's trip," Donovan said.