US EditionColombia's Petro under criminal investigation in US, New York Times reports
US prosecutors in New York are probing allegations that Colombian President Petro's representatives solicited bribes to block extradition and that his 2022 campaign received illicit funds.
- On Friday, U.S. federal prosecutors in Manhattan and Brooklyn opened two criminal inquiries into Colombian President Gustavo Petro, examining alleged meetings with drug traffickers and whether his 2022 campaign solicited illicit donations.
- Mounting tensions characterized U.S.-Colombia relations after the Treasury Department sanctioned Petro in October 2025 for alleged narco-terrorist ties; however, the two leaders thawed relations after a February meeting where Trump called him "terrific."
- DEA records based on confidential informants suggest Petro's involvement with Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, while prosecutors scrutinize allegations that his representatives solicited bribes at La Picota prison to block extraditions to the U.S.
- Colombia's Embassy in Washington dismissed the reports as "unverified" and lacking "legal or factual basis," while Petro denied trafficking links, claiming the proceedings aim to influence the May 31 election.
- Investigations remain in early stages with no confirmed charges, yet analysts note the timing—barely two and a half months before Colombia's presidential election—provides potential leverage as Petro faces term limits.
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205 Articles
Colombian President Also targeted... u.s. Prosecutors Investigate Alleged Involvement in Drug Cartel
It was reported on the 21st that U.S. prosecutors in New York are investigating Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who is known for his anti-American stance. Prosecutors are targeting allegations that Petro maintains close ties with domestic drug cartels. Prosecutors, who arrested and indicted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on drug terrorism charges last January, have now shifted the focus of their investigation to the Colombian president.
Petro stressed that the investigations in the U.S. will serve to "dismount the accusations of the Colombian extreme right" that, he denounced, yes this "articulate (...) with the drug traffickers of Colombia".
Colombian President Gustavo Petro caught up in multiple narcotics trafficking probes, sources say
The separate narco-trafficking investigations, based out of New York's Southern and Eastern districts, didn't set out to target Petro, but his name has come up during the course of the probes, one source said.
DEA names Colombian President ‘priority target’ as U.S. prosecutors probe ties to drug traffickers
The alleged crimes the DEA has investigated include his possible dealings with Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, a scheme to leverage his “total peace” plan to benefit prominent traffickers who contributed to his presidential campaign
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