Federal prosecutors in the United States are investigating the possibility of connections between Colombian President Gustavo Petro and drug traffickers, U.S. news agencies reported.
The Associated Press (AP) stated that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has classified Petro as a "priority target," and agency records indicated that his name appeared in multiple investigations dating back to 2022.
The New York Times reported on Friday that Petro is under a criminal investigation by at least two federal prosecutors' offices in the United States, with reports indicating these offices are located in Brooklyn and Manhattan, New York.
According to the reports, investigators are looking into whether Petro met with drug traffickers or if his campaign solicited donations from them.
In response to the news, Petro wrote on X: "I have never spoken to a drug trafficker in my life," adding that he has always instructed his campaign managers not to accept donations from "bankers or drug traffickers."
Reuters cited a source familiar with the situation, stating that "there are no ongoing investigations focused directly on [Petro]," and that the Colombian president's conduct has emerged in ongoing investigations related to "drug-related terrorism" at prosecutors' offices in New York.
Petro has repeatedly denied allegations of drug trafficking, especially after Donald Trump described him as an "illegal drug lord" and the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on him in 2025 without presenting any evidence of those links.
These developments come amid escalating tensions between the United States and Colombia in recent months due to the Trump administration's actions against drug traffickers in Latin America. Despite the disagreements, signs of improvement emerged after a meeting between the two presidents at the White House in February, during which Trump described his Colombian counterpart as "wonderful."
It is noteworthy that Colombia is one of the largest cocaine-producing countries in the world, and the United States and the Colombian government have been partners for decades in efforts to combat illegal drug trafficking in the region.