Colombia’s Opposition Asks Petro to Undergo Medical Exams for ‘Drug Addiction’ Allegations

Written on 04/24/2025
Josep Freixes
Colombian opposition asks to clarify the alleged drug addiction of President Petro, after the revelations of former minister Leyva. Credit: Andrea Puentes / Presidency of Colombia.

The opposition is requesting Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro to undergo medical exams to assess his alleged “drug addiction problems,” following controversial claims by former Minister Alvaro Leyva.

In a letter addressed to the president and shared by Leyva himself on social media, the former head of Colombian diplomacy during Petro’s administration asserted that the president struggles with drug addiction.

This statement has sparked political uproar in the country, with the opposition calling for clarity on the president’s health and his capacity to continue leading Colombia.

Colombian opposition demands clarification on President Petro’s alleged ‘drug addiction problems’

The letter from former Minister Leyva raises multiple criticisms of the government. However, the most controversial point in Colombia is the direct accusation regarding Petro’s alleged drug use.

“It was in Paris where I was able to confirm that you had a drug addiction problem,” Leyva writes in his letter, referencing an incident during the official visit to Paris in 2023, when he accompanied Petro as Foreign Minister.

Leyva reveals that during the trip, Gustavo Petro disappeared for two days, linking the event to the president’s supposed drug-related issues. “But what could I do? Surely, it was beyond my authority. I should have approached him, helped him, assisted him promptly. I carry within me the regret of not having tried to extend a hand,” the former minister laments in his letter.

Alvaro Leyva’s revelations have provided ammunition to Colombia’s conservative opposition, which swiftly responded. One of the strongest voices has been that of Senator Maria Fernanda Cabal of the right-wing Democratic Center party, who suggested that the former minister’s account confirms a long-rumored “open secret.”

“This is extremely serious. Alvaro Leyva confirms to the country that Petro is a drug addict. Petro must undergo medical examinations to determine his capacity to govern. This has always been an open secret,” the senator wrote on X.

Cabal criticized the president’s “victimization” on social media, referencing Petro’s brief response so far to Leyva’s scathing letter.

Opposition would seek to declare the President incapacitated in the Senate

Beyond acknowledging the issue, Senator Cabal referenced the Constitution and its provisions regarding the president’s “physical or mental incapacity.” In this context, Cabal cited Article 194 of the Constitution, which outlines the legal measures to remove the president in cases of proven incapacity.

“Article 194 of the Constitution is clear: the permanent physical incapacity of the President, declared by the Senate, constitutes an absolute disqualification from office. Constant delays, cancellations, unexplained absences, and the repeated prioritization of a ‘private agenda’ are not coincidences or trivial matters,” wrote Cabal.

The congresswoman concluded that “the Senate has the responsibility to act if permanent physical or mental incapacity on the part of Petro is proven.”

Taking it a step further, Congressman Christian Garces, from the same party as Senator Cabal, announced the filing of a motion to have a medical tribunal evaluate the president’s health.

“We will file the motion today (…) following the serious formal claim made by former Minister Alvaro Leyva regarding Gustavo Petro’s alleged drug addiction problem, in accordance with Articles 193 and 194 of the Political Constitution of Colombia,” the congressman wrote on his X account.