**Colombian President Gustavo Petro Under Federal Narcotics Trafficking Investigations in New York**
Colombian President Gustavo Petro is currently the subject of several ongoing narcotics trafficking investigations overseen by federal prosecutors in New York, sources told CBS News on Friday.
The separate investigations, based in New York’s Southern and Eastern districts, did not initially target Petro. However, his name has surfaced organically during the course of both probes, according to one source. These investigations remain in the very early stages, and it is still unclear whether Petro could ultimately face any criminal charges.
It is important to note that being a “subject” of an investigation does not necessarily mean an individual will face charges. The term “subject” refers to the fact that the person’s conduct falls within the scope of a probe. In contrast, a “target” is the direct focus of an investigation and faces a high likelihood of indictment due to substantial evidence.
The New York Times was the first to report that Petro’s name has come up in multiple drug trafficking investigations. A source confirmed that the White House did not request any investigation into Petro; rather, his name emerged naturally during other ongoing drug-trafficking cases.
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### Petro Denies Any Involvement with Drug Traffickers
On X (formerly Twitter), Petro posted a translated message saying, “Never in my life have I spoken with a drug trafficker,” adding that he has spent a decade “denouncing the links between the most powerful drug traffickers and politicians in Congress.”
He also stated that during his campaigns, he has “always told my managers” not to accept donations from bankers or drug traffickers. Petro expressed confidence that the outcome of the U.S. probes would ultimately help “dismantle the accusations” leveled against him by the far right in Colombia.
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### Tense History Between Petro and Former President Trump
Petro and former U.S. President Donald Trump have maintained a fraught relationship. At the United Nations last year, Petro called for criminal proceedings against Trump and labeled him the “New Hitler.”
The Trump administration accused the Colombian government of failing to curb a spike in cocaine production. In October 2023, Trump called Petro an “illegal drug leader,” and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced sanctions on Petro, his family, and close allies, claiming they “allowed drug cartels to flourish and refused to stop this activity.”
However, a phone call in January between the two leaders appeared to ease tensions. Both characterized the conversation as positive, with plans discussed for a future meeting at the White House.
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### Sanctions and Investigations into Petro’s Inner Circle
Last October, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Petro, members of his family including his wife Verónica, and allies such as Interior Minister Armando Benedetti, citing alleged links to drug trafficking networks.
In Colombia, several investigations focus on Petro’s closest associates. The most serious involves his son, Nicolás Petro, who was arrested in 2023 on charges of money laundering and illicit enrichment. Nicolás is accused of receiving money from individuals linked to drug trafficking. During court proceedings, he admitted that illegal funds entered his father’s campaign but claimed Gustavo Petro was unaware.
This case is ongoing, and Nicolás Petro has been cooperating with Colombian authorities.
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### Campaign Finance Investigations
Other formal investigations examine the financing of Petro’s 2022 presidential campaign. These include inquiries into possible illegal donations and violations of spending limits. One investigation focuses on Ricardo Roa, Petro’s former campaign manager and current president of Colombia’s state oil company, Ecopetrol.
Although Roa has not been convicted, worker unions at Ecopetrol are pushing for his removal.
In 2023, leaked audio revealed Interior Minister Armando Benedetti, then ambassador to Venezuela, claiming he secured large sums of money for Petro’s campaign and threatening to expose violations related to campaign financing. No charges have been filed related to this audio.
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### Additional Scandals Involving Petro’s Team
Also in 2023, Petro’s chief of staff, Laura Sarabia, was briefly forced out amid a separate scandal involving a polygraph test and alleged illegal phone interceptions of one of her housekeepers. Despite the controversy, Sarabia was recently appointed Colombia’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, though she reportedly speaks little English.
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### U.S. Justice Department’s Broader Focus
The news about President Petro emerges as the U.S. Justice Department intensifies efforts to target political officials in Latin America. Earlier this year, U.S. forces entered Venezuela to apprehend President Nicolás Maduro, who was brought to New York City to face criminal charges.
CBS News will continue to monitor developments regarding the investigations into Gustavo Petro and related regional matters.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/colombian-president-gustavo-petro-multiple-narcotics-trafficking-probes/