Overview
- Federal prosecutors in Manhattan and Brooklyn are examining reports of possible meetings with traffickers and illicit donations to Petro’s campaign, with support from the DEA and Homeland Security Investigations.
- The inquiries are described as preliminary and independent, and authorities have not confirmed any formal accusations against the Colombian president.
- Reuters reports that Petro is not the principal target of a single case, though his conduct has surfaced within broader narcotrafficking and narcoterrorism probes.
- Colombia’s government says it has received no formal notification from U.S. authorities and calls the reported allegations unfounded, while Petro publicly denies ever speaking with narcotraffickers and says his campaign took no illegal funds.
- Coverage notes strained U.S.–Colombia ties in recent years, including 2025 Treasury sanctions on Petro and relatives, and some outlets report DEA records flagging Petro in prior inquiries, a claim based on documents and anonymous sources.