Former Colombian Minister Leyva Accuses President Petro Of Drug Addiction
Leyva outlined troubling incidents he claims to have witnessed during his tenure in Petro’s cabinet, shedding light on his growing concerns about the president’s conduct.
Álvaro Leyva, Colombia’s former foreign minister and a once-close ally of President Gustavo Petro, has made explosive accusations against the nation’s left-wing leader, accusing him of drug addiction and dereliction of duty.
In a scathing letter shared via his official X account on Wednesday, Leyva outlined troubling incidents he claims to have witnessed during his tenure in Petro’s cabinet, shedding light on his growing concerns about the president’s conduct.
“When I joined the cabinet, I believed in your potential to be a regional leader and global hope,” Leyva wrote.
However, he soon became disillusioned by Petro’s apparent erratic behaviour, poor punctuality, incoherent speech, and what Leyva described as wasteful and unnecessary travels.
Leyva admitted that his initial optimism for Petro’s presidency quickly led to “unease and bewilderment” as he observed these troubling signs.
Leyva’s most damning accusation centres on an alleged disappearance by President Petro during an official trip to France in 2023.
“It was in Paris that I was able to confirm that you had a drug addiction problem,” Leyva wrote.
“Your recovery, sadly, has not taken place,” Leyva said, claiming that Petro had disappeared for two days during the visit, an episode that left him deeply concerned and ultimately convinced that the president was struggling with substance abuse.
This revelation has shaken Colombia’s political landscape, with journalists and politicians expressing shock and disbelief. El Tiempo journalist Juan Sebastián Lombo Delgado called the letter “unprecedented,” noting that such candid criticisms from a former senior government official against a sitting president were unheard of in recent Colombian history.
“Never before had a key former official questioned the faculties of a sitting president so openly,” he wrote. Similarly, Congresswoman Katherine Miranda remarked on the gravity of the situation: “The grave accusations would be irrelevant if we were talking about any old person – but we are talking about the head of state.”
In response to the accusations, President Petro, who has denied similar allegations in the past, issued a cryptic reply via X.
“Isn’t Paris full of parks, museums, bookstores, more interesting than the letter’s writer, to spend two days in? Almost everything in Paris is more interesting.
“Don’t I have daughters and granddaughters in Paris who are far more interesting than the writer?” he posted, sidestepping Leyva’s serious claims.
Petro has previously dismissed claims of drug use, insisting that he is “addicted only to morning coffee.” In 2023, he responded to similar allegations by stating, “The only thing I am addicted to is a morning coffee.”
However, earlier this year, Petro made a controversial remark about cocaine, stating that it was “no worse than whiskey” and blamed its illegality on Latin American production.
United Nations data showed a significant rise in potential cocaine output in Colombia in 2022, which increased by 53%, reaching 2,664 metric tons.
Leyva’s letter also touched on the broader challenges facing the president’s administration. He recalled a troubling series of personal interactions, including his initial efforts to outline Colombia’s foreign policy with Petro, only to be left waiting for hours without a response.
He further noted that Petro’s inner circle was small, with few ministers receiving the attention or guidance they needed from the president.
Leyva’s growing dissatisfaction with Petro was further fueled by the controversial case of former ambassador to Venezuela, Armando Benedetti, who had allegedly confessed to being addicted to drugs.
Benedetti’s personal struggles were also mentioned in the context of Petro’s government, with Leyva implying that the president’s failure to address such issues contributed to ongoing instability.
The political fallout from these allegations has already begun to affect Petro’s administration. Despite Leyva’s call for a more supportive and compassionate approach to the president’s struggles, the accusations have only intensified the criticism of his leadership.
Many now question whether the president is fit to continue in office, with growing concern over his ability to lead the nation effectively.
