Colombian President Rejects Drug Addiction Claims Amid Political Feud With Ex-Minister.
Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro has firmly denied fresh accusations of drug addiction made by his former ally and ex-foreign minister, Alvaro Leyva, who in an open letter claimed the president disappeared for two days during a state visit to Paris in 2023.
Leyva, aged 82, alleged that the Paris incident offered him first-hand confirmation of Petro’s supposed drug use, calling it an “embarrassing moment” during his tenure as minister. However, he failed to provide specific evidence or further details to support the claim.
Responding on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), President Petro dismissed the accusations as slander, asserting he was spending time with his daughter and grandchildren who live in Paris. “I’ve simply been slandered,” Petro stated. “During an official visit by a head of state to France, there is always direct and permanent physical protection from the French secret service.”
The president continued, sarcastically remarking that he was “addicted to love” and highlighting that Paris offered more engaging company than the former minister. “Isn’t Paris full of parks, museums, bookstores more interesting than the letter’s writer, to spend two days in?” he wrote.
The allegations have drawn mixed reactions across Colombia’s political spectrum. Opposition figures are now calling for Petro to undergo drug and psychiatric tests to assess his fitness to govern.
Leyva, though politically conservative, had long been an unusual ally to the leftist Petro. He served in various government roles, including as a peace negotiator and twice ran for the presidency himself. However, their alliance deteriorated earlier this year when Leyva was suspended by Colombia’s inspector general for mishandling a passport printing contract—a move Petro publicly criticised as politically motivated.
The president has repeatedly denied suggestions of substance abuse throughout his political career, although past incidents have occasionally stirred speculation. During his presidential campaign, Petro once apologised for attending a public event under the influence of alcohol. His political opponents have often linked his occasional lateness to supposed drug use, a claim he has consistently rejected.
Petro’s stance on drug policy has also made headlines, with the president calling for the legalisation of cocaine and insisting that alcohol poses a greater public health risk. “Whiskey kills more,” he once claimed, adding recently that his only real addiction was to coffee—one of Colombia’s most iconic exports.
Despite the political storm, Petro continues to lead a country grappling with record-high levels of cocaine production, even as government eradication efforts appear to have lost momentum. The latest accusations, while serious, remain unsubstantiated and seem to reflect deeper fractures within Colombia’s political establishment rather than confirmed misconduct.
As the public digests these developments, many Colombians are left questioning the motivations behind Leyva’s letter, while President Petro remains defiant, steering focus toward his administration’s broader agenda.