Senator and presidential candidate Ivan Cepeda announced today that he will file a criminal complaint against former Colombian President Andres Pastrana, following the release of declassified US Department of Justice documents linking the former leader to associates of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Cepeda, running for the Pacto Historico coalition, stated he will request the Attorney General’s Office to investigate whether Pastrana bears criminal liability for events described in the files, specifically regarding the alleged misuse of official military assets to entertain Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate and partner, who was convicted of sex trafficking.
The controversy stems from newly released judicial files that include emails and sworn statements detailing interactions between Pastrana and Maxwell between 2003 and 2004. According to the documents, Maxwell described a trip to Colombia where she engaged in what has been interpreted as “war tourism.”
In a cited email, Maxwell reportedly claimed she possessed a photograph with the “President of Colombia,” who she said organized “the whole party.” She described a helicopter flight over the Amazon involving extreme maneuvers, during which she alleged seeing “terrorists running” and being permitted to aim at them. She further claimed she was gifted a personalized helmet and two live bullets as souvenirs from the trip.
Cepeda will sue Pastrana for using public resources for the private entertainment of Ghislaine Maxwell
“I announce that I will file a criminal complaint against him so that the possible punishable conduct in which he may have incurred is investigated,” Cepeda said, emphasizing the need to determine if state institutions were used improperly to host Maxwell. Pastrana, who was President of Colombia from 1998 to 2002, responded to the allegations via social media on Tuesday, dismissing Cepeda’s actions as intimidation tactics. “I am not intimidated by the blackmailer Ivan Cepeda,” Pastrana wrote on X.
The former president denied having a close relationship with Epstein and argued that his limited association has long been known to authorities. To support his defense, Pastrana pointed to a specific email contained within the declassified files regarding a family trip to a Formula One race in Monza, Italy.
ANUNCIO QUE DENUNCIARÉ PENALMENTE A ANDRES PASTRANA
En los últimos días, medios de comunicación han reseñado que el expresidente de la República, Andrés Pastrana Arango, figura en los archivos relacionados con el pederasta y depredador sexual Jeffrey Epstein, que dan cuenta de… https://t.co/CVXETL4RUY
— Iván Cepeda Castro (@IvanCepedaCast) February 9, 2026
“If he is to denounce me, do not forget to copy my email… published by the United States Department of Justice: ‘…you know that I do not have confidence in Jeff Epstein,'” Pastrana wrote, quoting the correspondence to argue he was wary of the financier. The release of the Epstein files has had global repercussions, implicating numerous high-profile figures. In Colombia, the inclusion of photographs showing Maxwell wearing Colombian Air Force gear and her testimony regarding the helicopter flights has reignited political tensions as the country approaches its election cycle.