Former Colombian Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva leveled serious accusations against President Gustavo Petro in a public letter on April 22, claiming the far-left leader suffers from drug addiction and is being manipulated by his closest advisors. Leyva, who served under Petro from August 2022 to May 2024, said the president’s alleged condition poses a national security threat.
Leyva cited a specific incident during a presidential trip to Paris, where Petro reportedly disappeared for two days. According to the letter, Leyva confirmed Petro’s alleged addiction during that trip. The former diplomat described the experience as distressing and a key moment that revealed the president’s substance abuse issues. Petro has made four visits to France during his presidency, but Leyva did not specify which one exposed the problem.
The former minister painted a disturbing picture of Petro’s erratic behavior, describing frequent disappearances, incoherence, and public blunders. Leyva claimed such conduct is well known to Petro’s inner circle, which includes current Foreign Minister Laura Sarabia and Interior Minister Armando Benedetti. Both officials have faced separate controversies, including the 2023 wiretapping scandal dubbed “nannygate.”
Leyva accused Sarabia of controlling Petro’s schedule and hinted at inappropriate personal involvement. He also alleged that Benedetti, appointed ambassador to Venezuela, was a drug addict based on a conversation he had with the official. These claims add to growing concerns over the administration’s stability and ethical integrity.
Petro, a former Marxist guerrilla and the nation’s first leftist president, has consistently advocated for drug decriminalization. He has previously equated cocaine to whisky in public remarks and called for global legalization efforts. His daughter, Andrea Petro, and Petro himself responded to the allegations by claiming his absences in Paris were due to family time and personal retreat.
Petro denied wrongdoing and accused critics and the media of attacking him for spending time with his family. He did not address Leyva’s claims directly, nor did he explain the nature of the “persecution” he said he faces.
The letter has further polarized Colombian politics and intensified scrutiny of Petro’s leadership amid ongoing governance and corruption issues.
