Colombia’s political landscape was rocked this week after former Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva publicly accused President Gustavo Petro of drug abuse, alleging erratic behavior and a mysterious disappearance during a 2023 diplomatic visit to France.
In a scathing letter, Leyva — once a close ally of the leftist president despite ideological differences — claimed Petro vanished for two days while in Paris, asserting he personally witnessed “embarrassing moments” indicative of substance issues. “It was in Paris that I was able to confirm that you had a drug addiction problem … Your recovery, sadly, has not taken place,” wrote Leyva.
President Petro, known for his fiery presence on social media, fired back on X but stopped short of directly denying the accusations. Instead, he dismissed the letter as petty and irrelevant, saying Paris offered far more interesting company and activities than his former minister. “Isn’t Paris full of parks, museums, bookstores… more interesting than the letter’s writer?” Petro posted.
The fallout has been immediate. Prominent voices in Colombia’s political and media circles called the allegations unprecedented. “We are not talking about just anyone — we’re talking about the head of state,” said Congresswoman Katherine Miranda. El Tiempo columnist Juan Sebastián Lombo Delgado noted this marked the first time in recent memory a former cabinet member openly questioned a sitting president’s mental and physical faculties.
While Petro has previously dismissed similar claims — once saying the only thing he’s addicted to is morning coffee — his past comments on drug policy continue to stir debate. He controversially claimed earlier this year that cocaine was “no worse than whiskey” and argued its illegality was rooted in geographic bias rather than health concerns.
The scandal adds to Petro’s growing list of international tensions, particularly with former U.S. President Donald Trump. The two recently clashed over migrant deportation flights, with Petro briefly barring U.S. planes from Colombian airspace. He later claimed the U.S. had revoked his visa, quipping, “I’ve already seen Donald Duck numerous times, so I’ll go see other things.”
As the political firestorm intensifies, questions mount about the stability of Petro’s presidency and the broader implications for Colombia’s leadership on the world stage.
