Carlos Lehder Denies Medellin Cartel Funded M-19’s Attack on Palace of Justice

Written on 04/09/2025
Natalia Falah
Carlos Lehder denies that the Medellin Cartel financed the M-19’s siege of the Palace of Justice Siege that took place on November 6 1985. Credit: Migración Colombia

Carlos Lehder, former drug lord and one of the founders of the Medellin Cartel, spoke in a recent interview with Blu Radio about the tragic events of the Palace of Justice siege that took place 40 years ago. He denied the claim made by Pablo Escobar’s late hitman, Jhon Jairo Velasquez, also know as “Popeye,” that the Medellin Cartel had financed the attack.

On November 6, 1985, the M-19 guerrilla group took over the Palace of Justice in Bogota, holding more than 200 people hostage, including 25 Supreme Court justices. They demanded a trial against President Belisario Betancur (1982-1986) for violating a peace agreement. The military response was brutal, destroying the building in a 27-hour assault. More than 90 people were killed, including nearly half of the justices, and several others went missing.

A widespread theory supports that the Medellin Cartel financed the operation at the time, allegedly to destroy files and documents linked to its member extradition processes to the U.S.

Carlos Lehder denies Medellin Cartel backed the Palace of Justice Siege

Lehder insisted that the criminal organization led by Pablo Escobar had no role in funding the events that led to the tragedy. “No sir. That never happened in any way. I don’t know why they had this man ‘Popeye’ make up that story,” he stated in the interview. According to Lehder, “Popeye” was not even in Nicaragua at the time when the events took place and his relationship with Pablo Escobar was minimal. 

“Popeye, back then-from what I saw-was just a driver for one of Escobar’s mistresses. Later, I did see him carrying guns and all that. But at that time, there was no closeness at all,” he added on Blu Radio. 

Lehder also highlighted Pablo Escobar’s secretive nature, noting that he did not involve outsiders in his personal or political affairs. This statement reinforced Lehder’s claim that the Medellin Cartel had nothing to do with the events that led to the Palace of Justice siege. 

A rehabilitated and remorseful Carlos Lehder? 

After serving a 33-year prison sentence in the United States and spending five years in Germany, Carlos Lehder returned to Colombia. Since his arrival, the former drug trafficker and co-founder of the Medellin Cartel has appeared willing to share secrets and details about the criminal activities he was involved in during the past. He has stated that he is rehabilitated and remorseful. 

Although he has been sentenced to 135 years in prison, the U.S. government offered him a deal: confess, cooperate and issue a public apology in exchanges for a reduced sentence.

He now says he’s learned his lesson: “Anyone who gets involved in drug trafficking will end up either in prison or in the cemetery”. He also emphasized that it was the U.S. criminal justice system that reformed him, and that one of the key things he learned was the importance of telling the truth. “That’s part of rehabilitation”, he explained. 

Now, the Colombian justice system is the one holding out hope that Lehder will stand by his word and provide meaningful cooperation with the authorities. For now, he insists Pablo Escobar didn’t give the M-19 a single cent to finance the Palace of Justice siege, he claims they didn’t even know about this event taking place. 

Petro backed Lehder’s statements

President Petro, once a member of the M-19, responded to Lehder’s statements, saying they “align” with his own investigation and discussion surrounding the Palace of Justice siege. “With Lehder stating that Pablo Escobar had nothing to do with the Palace of Justice, the truth begins to emerge,” President Petro remarked. 

Petro also took the opportunity to directly accuse the government of Julio Cesar Turbay of allegedly “fabricating” a story about bribes within the M-19. According to the President, the government’s real intention at the time was to murder all the magistrate who had begun proceedings against the military leadership at the time for torture. “What happened under the government of former President Julio Cesar Turbay was a crime against humanity”, President Petro asserted. 

He also stated that the Palace of Justice siege was nothing more than a “political mistake” of the M-19, and because of it, the peace talks with the government failed.