Former Minister Accuses Colombia's President Petro of Drug Addiction

Former Colombian Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva has publicly accused President Gustavo Petro of drug addiction, alleging in an open letter that he confirmed Petro's supposed substance abuse during an official visit to Paris when the president was reportedly missing for two days. Leyva's letter, published on social media and addressed directly to Petro, expressed regret for not intervening sooner and claimed that Petro has not recovered from his alleged addiction. The letter also suggested that key figures in Petro's inner circle, such as Laura Sarabia, controlled access to the president, making it difficult to address concerns. Petro has denied these allegations, stating that his absence in Paris was to visit his daughter and grandchildren. Additionally, during Petro's tenure, Colombia has seen a rise in cocaine production, with Petro having controversially compared cocaine to whiskey in terms of harm. No concrete evidence has been provided to substantiate Leyva's claims, and other government officials have not commented publicly on the matter.