US PRESIDENT BARACK Obama is dealing with an embarrassing and deepening scandal at a most inopportune time.
Obama, who faces the public vote later this year, has had 11 of his secret service agents placed on leave after they were recalled from a security detail in Colombia.
The Associated Press has been able to confirm that the agents were pulled out of Cartagena because of allegations of misconduct that involved prostitutes.
The Washington Post claims that the men brought prostitutes to their hotel rooms in the city on Wednesday night but a fight broke out over payment the following morning.
The security agency said that the men had violated the service’s “zero-tolerance” policy on personal misconduct during the mission to prepare for Obama’s arrival in Central America for an international summit.
The situation became worse for Obama when the Defence Department revealed that five military personnel violated curfew while staying in the same hotel on Wednesday night.
A separate investigation into that incident will be carried out but, for the moment, those involved have been confined to their rooms. It is understood that they may have been involved in the inappropriate behaviour.
Obama arrived in Colombia for trade talks and the Secret Service has said his security was not compromised.
“The president does have full confidence in the United States Secret Service,” presidential spokesman Jay Carney said.
“We regret any distraction from the Summit of the Americas this situation has caused,” added Secret Service assistant director Paul Morrissey.
-Additional reporting by AP
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