Duque calls for dedicated prosecutor in Colombia Odebrecht probe

President Iván Duque (pictured) said Colombia will need a dedicated prosecutor to investigate Odebrecht's bribery scheme after suspicions arose over the role the head of the prosecutor's office, Nestor Martínez, played in 2015.

Last week, news outlet Canal 1 revealed recordings with an exchange between Martínez, then a lawyer for Corficolombiana, Odebrecht's partner in the now canceled Ruta del Sol II road concession, and Jorge Pizano, who was an auditor for the same contract and a key witness in the investigation before passing away earlier this month.

During the last weekend, Canal 1 released new recordings of that exchange, where Pizano is apparently heard to tell Martínez about the irregularities in the contract.

In this latest audio, Pizano asked Martínez if he should look deeper into the alleged irregularities, as the latter advocated to "stay quiet" and vowed to discuss the issue at a later meeting.

Following the revelations, Duque told RCN Radio that, for the sake of transparency, the country will need a dedicated prosecutor for the Odebrecht probe, and that he will present a list of three candidates if requested by the supreme court. Duque, however, didn't comment on the recordings.

The president also weighed in on the reported negotiations between the firm and local investigators, and said that "we must seek exemplary sanctions ... I don't agree with reaching neither arrangements nor agreements."