A political firestorm has erupted in Colombia following allegations made by ex-Foreign Minister Alvaro Leyva which claims in a letter that President Petro has a drug addiction.
Leyva also asserts that Gustavo Petro is a “prisoner” of current ministers Armando Benedetti and Laura Sarabia, who have long been embroiled in a bitter dispute stemming from leaked phone recordings containing threats and corruption insinuations related to the financing of Petro’s presidential campaign.
Beyond the accusations and allegations, the letter signals the definitive break between one of the key figures of Petro’s early administration and the sitting Colombian president.
Ex-minister claims Colombia’s President Petro has ‘drug addiction problem’
Alvaro Leyva today made public the letter he delivered to President Gustavo Petro on Tuesday, April 22, at the presidential offices. The document, shared by Leyva himself on his X account, marks his final break with the government he helped establish.
The four-page letter contains serious accusations that have shaken Colombia’s political landscape.
One of Leyva’s most striking claims is the direct accusation that Petro has a “drug addiction problem.” According to the former minister, during an official visit to Paris in June 2023, the president vanished without explanation for two days—an incident Leyva says confirmed his suspicions of an active addiction.
“It was in Paris where I was able to confirm that you had a ‘drug addiction problem,’” Leyva writes bluntly in the letter.
“As if French intelligence were incompetent enough not to know your whereabouts. Embarrassing moments for me as a person and as your Minister. And even more so when I learned where you had been. It pains me to say this now—admittedly late—but by that time, I was already aware of similar episodes in your behavior,” Leyva explains.
The former minister further suggests that Petro’s alleged addiction has impaired his ability to govern, noting that his recovery “has unfortunately not taken place.”
Ciudadanas, ciudadanos
Me permito darles a conocer la carta que hice llegar ayer 22 de abril del año en curso, al señor Presidente de la República, doctor Gustavo Petro Urrego. Incluyo el sello comprobante de recibo en la Presidencia, hora 1:52 p.m. pic.twitter.com/5xm7QHwuKy
— Álvaro Leyva Durán (@AlvaroLeyva) April 23, 2025
Criticisms of Ministers Benedetti and Sarabia
The letter also launches harsh criticisms against two key figures in the presidential circle: Armando Benedetti, current Minister of the Interior, and Laura Sarabia, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Leyva describes Benedetti as a “sick” individual with addiction issues and suggests that Sarabia “attended to some personal needs” of the president, implying an opaque dependency relationship.
“When Mrs. Sarabia came to look for him (…) she made me wait for hours under the excuse that you might eventually receive me. It happened so many times that I finally understood she was the master of your time, of some of your tasks, and that she also attended to some of your personal needs,” Leyva writes in his letter.
Regarding the conflict between Sarabia and Benedetti, the former minister claims Petro is a “victim” of both, arguing their influence has been harmful to the government.
He accuses Benedetti of blackmailing the president and Sarabia of manipulating key decisions. “You are held hostage by those around you,” Leyva concludes in his political assessment.
Another close collaborator of Petro who also earns criticism from Alvaro Leyva is the president of Ecopetrol, Ricardo Roa. The former campaign manager for Gustavo Petro has been in charge of the country’s most important company since the start of the administration.
Failure of foreign policy and the President’s isolation
Leyva also alleges that during his tenure as minister (August 2022 to January 2024), he never managed to coordinate a coherent foreign policy with Petro due to a lack of direct communication.
He describes an environment of institutional chaos, with an absent president surrounded by officials who act independently. “I never succeeded in consolidating a state foreign policy because communication with the president was not easy,” he states.
The former minister also recalls being suspended by the Inspector General’s Office in January 2024 over alleged irregularities in a passport bidding process. Though Petro publicly defended him at the time, Leyva notes their relationship was already strained.
Despite the severe criticisms, Leyva insists his intention is not to create conflict but to alert the president to what he considers grave errors in his leadership. In this vein, the letter concludes with a call for national unity, urging the president to avoid a “social fire” and work toward the country’s reconciliation.
President Petro’s response without mentioning alleged drug addiction problems
Following the publication of the letter, President Petro responded indirectly today on social media, dismissing the accusations and suggesting they constitute political betrayal. However, he did not directly address the allegations concerning his health or the role of his collaborators.
“The only way the press will publish letters is by insulting me. This not only speaks poorly of the writer but also of the press,” the president wrote on his social media, clearly alluding to Alvaro Leyva.
Regarding the controversial episode of Petro’s alleged disappearance in Paris, the president wrote today: “Does Paris not have parks, museums, or bookstores more interesting than the writer to spend two days in? Almost everything in Paris is more interesting.”
La única manera para que la prensa públique cartas, es insultándome. No solo habla mal del escritor, sino de la prensa.
¿Es que Paris no tiene parques, museos, librerias, más interesantes que el escritor, para pasar dos días? Casi todo en París es más interesante.
¿Es que acaso…
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) April 23, 2025
The episode involving Alvaro Leyva’s letter is not merely anecdotal. Beyond the departure of another former minister from Petro’s government, Leyva was one of President Petro’s strongest initial bets during the early days of his administration.
Furthermore, through this letter, Leyva reveals not only internal tensions but also a crisis of leadership and trust within the presidential circle.
Beyond personal accusations, the document raises profound questions about governance and the country’s direction under an administration that promised transformation but has faced serious internal fractures for months.
Alvaro Leyva, an unconventional politician
Alvaro Leyva, 82, is a veteran and unconventional politician in Colombia. Born into an aristocratic conservative family, he experienced exile as a child and has been a protagonist in numerous episodes of Colombian politics for over 50 years.
A historic figure in Colombian politics, Leyva has played a key role during the country’s most complex moments. Though conservative by origin, he has built a career defined by his commitment to peace—and significant controversies—repeatedly distancing himself from his party.
In August 2022, he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs by President Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s first left-wing head of state, in a symbolic gesture signaling a diplomatic approach focused on dialogue and reconciliation.
As minister, Leyva became a cornerstone of Petro’s government on the international stage, promoting a foreign policy centered on human rights, climate change, and negotiated solutions to internal armed conflicts.
His experience in peace processes, including his involvement in dialogues with the FARC, granted him unique authority to advance Petro’s proposed “Total Peace” agenda. However, Leyva was suspended from his position by Colombian authorities in January 2024 over alleged irregularities during a passport procurement process.
Finally, in May of that year, President Petro replaced him as head of Colombian diplomacy with former Ambassador to the U.S., Luis Gilberto Murillo.
Related: Colombia’s Opposition Asks for Clarification of Petro’s Alleged ‘Drug Addiction’.