Kamal Ghorui
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has been named a ‘priority target’ by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as federal prosecutors in New York examine his alleged links to drug traffickers, according records seen by news agency Associated Press.DEA records show Petro has appeared in multiple investigations since 2022, many based on interviews with confidential informants. The issues under review include possible dealings with Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, claims that his ‘total peace’ plan may have been used to benefit traffickers who supported his presidential campaign, and suggestions that law enforcement channels were used to move cocaine and fentanyl through Colombian ports.The ‘priority target’ label is used for individuals the DEA believes could have a ‘significant impact’ on the drug trade. In recent months, prosecutors in Brooklyn and Manhattan have questioned drug traffickers about their links to Petro. They are also examining claims that representatives linked to him may have sought bribes to block extradition of traffickers to the United States. A person familiar with the inquiry said it is not clear whether prosecutors have linked Petro to any crime.Part of the investigation is focused on allegations that such offers were made inside Colombia’s La Picota prison in exchange for protection from extradition.This follows earlier claims by Donald Trump, who called him an “illegal drug leader”, and sanctions imposed by the US Treasury in late 2025 over alleged links to the trade. Petro has said his government targets major cartels while taking a more lenient approach towards small coca farmers.Separately, members of Petro’s family have faced scrutiny. His son, Nicolas Petro, was charged in 2023 with seeking illegal campaign contributions from a convicted drug trafficker. His brother, Juan Fernando Petro, has also been linked to alleged talks with jailed traffickers over possible protection from extradition in exchange for disarmament.
