内容摘要：, brought him a conservative base and helped him secure the support of critical political brokers and powerful governors.

, brought him a conservative base and helped him secure the support of critical political brokers and powerful governors.

Time and again, the reputed henchman for the Cali cartel evaded capture — or worse fates — as he built a money-laundering network stretching across four continents. He did so, authorities have alleged, with ruthlessness, street smarts and a willingness to bribe a slew of South American police officers and politicians.All the while, Marín had an even more powerful ally in his corner: the

For years, the elite narcotics agency claimed it was investigating the Colombian importer, telling the U.S. Justice Department he was among DEA’s top targets. In reality, the relationship was more fraught, with Marín briefly signed up as an informant even as hewith a movable feast of prostitutes, fine dining and expensive gifts, an Associated Press investigation found.In return, at least one of those agents helped Marín launder money and smuggle contraband — throwing law enforcement off his tracks. As the DEA looked the other way, Marín’s business flourished into a criminal empire that generated up to $100 million a year, according to the Internal Revenue Service.

The AP’s findings — based on interviews with current and former agents, as well as a trove of highly sensitive Justice Department files — offer an unprecedented glimpse into the fraud, shoddy oversight and profligate DEA spending that enabled Marín’s ascent. The corruption was so extensive, the officials said, that it reminded them of one of the most infamous law enforcement scandals in U.S. history — the FBI’s unscrupulous dealings with, the Boston mob boss.

“It’s an embarrassment for the DEA,” said retired Colombian Gen. Juan Carlos Buitrago, who spent years trying to take down Marín only to see his own career derailed by the pursuit. “They ended up creating a monster.”

After decades in the shadows, Marín has recently become front-page news in Colombia, where he’s been dubbed the “Contraband Czar” over, who has led a centrist coalition government since late 2023.

During a speech to a huge crowd Trzaskowski laid out his vision for a Poland that is inclusive and vowed to work to help develop Polish industry as the nation continues an economic transformation into a regional economic and military power.In another part of Warsaw, Karol Nawrocki, 42, addressed his supporters. A conservative historian and former boxer, Nawrocki is backed by the national conservative Law and Justice party, which governed Poland from 2015 to 2023. He heads the state-run Institute of National Remembrance, which under Law and Justice became known for promoting nationalist versions of Polish history.

His supporters describe him as the embodiment of traditional, patriotic values — a man who, like U.S. President Donald Trump, promises to restore what they call “normality.” Many voiced opposition to abortion andrights, saying Nawrocki reflects the values they grew up with.