Ex-Colombian foreign minister faces charges over nanny interrogation

Colombia's former foreign minister Laura Sarabia has been charged in connection with the coercive interrogation of her nanny, marking a significant legal development in a case that has drawn scrutiny over the treatment of domestic workers and potential abuse of official power.

Sarabia, who served as foreign minister under former President Ivan Duque, allegedly directed police officers to question her household employee and administer a lie detector test after reporting that money had gone missing from her apartment. The case centres on whether Sarabia improperly leveraged her official position to initiate the police action against the domestic worker.

The charges reflect growing concerns in Colombia regarding the vulnerability of domestic staff and the misuse of state resources for personal matters. Authorities have been investigating the circumstances surrounding the interrogation and whether proper legal procedures were followed in initiating contact with the police.

Sarabia served as foreign minister from 2022 until the change of government earlier this year. The case has attracted attention from human rights advocates who have highlighted the power imbalances inherent in relationships between employers and domestic workers, particularly when state authority is involved.