Recordings revealed last night by local outlet Caracol Television would confirm the existence of secret meetings last year between the head of intelligence of the Colombian government and the lawyer of the smuggler known as alias “Papa Pitufo.”
The audios, released in an exclusive report by the channel, show direct conversations that implicate high-level officials and reopen the debate over links between the Executive and illegal networks.
The content of these recordings adds new shadows over the 2022 presidential campaign. Beyond previous accounts or political statements, the tapes introduce concrete evidence of contacts that, due to their nature and context, raise serious doubts about possible irregular dealings and about the real extent of the relationship between political power and the smuggling environment.
After three years of suspicions, audios, and non-formal accusations against the circle of President Petro, the case takes on particular intensity as the current presidential campaign enters its most decisive moment, with the May 31 vote in focus.
Fresh revelations in the scandal linking the Government to “Papa Pitufo” in Colombia
According to the investigation, the recordings correspond to at least two meetings held in early 2025. They involved the then director of the National Intelligence Directorate (DNI), Jorge Lemus, and Luis Felipe Ramirez, lawyer for Diego Marin, alias “Papa Pitufo.”
The audios would show not only the existence of these meetings but also the content of the conversations. In one of the excerpts, the intelligence chief raises the possibility that the smuggler testify before authorities, while the lawyer warns about the consequences this could have on the political front.
One of the most sensitive points is the apparent overstepping of functions. According to the released material, potential judicial benefits may have been offered in exchange for cooperation, a type of negotiation that does not fall within the competencies of an intelligence agency.
The recordings also suggest that the contact was not isolated. Before any formal action by the authorities, envoys claiming to act on behalf of the Government had already established communication with the smuggler.
The report revealed yesterday on Caracol Television’s nightly newscast points to the existence of a network of intermediaries that facilitated these approaches. According to the audios, several individuals contacted the circle of “Papa Pitufo” claiming to represent the Executive’s interests, expanding the scope of the case beyond a single meeting.
In this context, an element emerges that could be key: the sensitive information for the current government allegedly in the possession of Diego Marin. In the conversations, his lawyer warns that, if his client decides to speak without restrictions, the impact could be severe. That statement has been interpreted as a sign of the scale of the information the smuggler may hold.
The participation of an intermediary who may have served as a communication channel between both parties is also mentioned. Although his role is not fully defined, his presence reinforces the idea of a network of contacts developed outside institutional channels.
Los contactos secretos del Gobierno y alias ‘Pitufo’ (1/3)
En medio de uno de los mayores escándalos de este Gobierno por el supuesto intento de infiltración de dineros del contrabando a la campaña Petro presidente, a comienzos de 2025 se llevaron a cabo dos reuniones a puerta… pic.twitter.com/aHP2C8HvjA
— Noticias Caracol (@NoticiasCaracol) April 6, 2026
The shadow of Colombia’s leading smuggler
The name Diego Marin Buitrago, known as alias “Papa Pitufo,” has for years cast a shadow over political and judicial debate in Colombia. Considered by authorities as one of the country’s largest smugglers, Marin allegedly led for decades a network dedicated to the illegal entry of goods and the bribery of public officials to facilitate its operations.
His criminal trajectory dates back to the 1990s, with historical links to smuggling and money laundering. In 2024 he was captured in Europe after remaining a fugitive, and since then he has faced an extradition process requested by Colombia. However, his legal situation remains complex: he has been released on several occasions by judicial decisions in Spain and Portugal while he processes legal appeals and requests such as political asylum.
In parallel, Colombia’s Prosecutor’s Office charged him with crimes such as criminal conspiracy and bribery, considering that he led a criminal structure that penetrated state institutions.
The case took on a political dimension in 2023 due to its potential links to Gustavo Petro’s presidential campaign four years ago. Various journalistic investigations and testimonies have indicated that Marin allegedly delivered 500 million pesos (approximately US$137,000) to that campaign. Petro himself has acknowledged that the money existed, but maintains that he ordered it returned upon learning of its illicit origin.
However, the lack of conclusive proof of that return—including a video that has never been presented—and contradictory accounts among figures close to the Government have fueled the controversy.
The truth is that President Petro’s response to this latest chapter in the scandal linking his campaign to alias Papa Pitufo—who is currently seeking asylum in Portugal—has been to assert that the government’s contacts with the inner circle of Colombia’s leading drug trafficker last year were intended solely to facilitate his cooperation with the justice system.
On the other hand, the alleged corruption network extends even beyond Gustavo Petro’s campaign team; last March, Freddy Camilo Gomez, a Senate candidate for the Party of the U, was arrested in Colombia for his alleged involvement in Diego Marin’s corruption network.
The backdrop: the 2022 campaign
The new revelations are connected to a debate that has been open for more than a year. Since 2023, different accounts have suggested that Gustavo Petro’s presidential campaign may have been the target of attempted financing from smuggling.
The Government has maintained that any contribution from alias “Papa Pitufo” was rejected or returned. However, the new audios raise questions about the depth of the contacts and whether there were broader approaches than have been publicly acknowledged.
The fact that these meetings took place some time after the campaign, and involved senior officials of the Petro government, adds an additional dimension. It is not only about what happened in 2022, but also about possible subsequent actions that, as a government, may have sought to control or anticipate the impact of the information in the smuggler’s possession.
The revelations come at a delicate political moment. The departure of Jorge Lemus from key positions within the State has been interpreted by some sectors as an indirect consequence of this scandal, although there is no official confirmation in that regard.
President Gustavo Petro has responded by stating that, according to his account, some intelligence agents may have acted on their own and without authorization. He has also suggested the possibility of internal irregularities in the handling of the case.
Despite these explanations, doubts persist and are growing in the electoral context Colombia is experiencing. From the opposition and other political sectors, there has been insistence on the need for a thorough investigation to determine responsibilities and clarify the scope of these contacts.
The case of alias “Papa Pitufo,” identified as one of the country’s leading smugglers, thus enters a new phase. The recordings provide a level of detail that had not existed until now and that forces a reassessment of what was known about the relationship between his circle and government actors.
Beyond individual implications, the scandal raises fundamental questions about the functioning of institutions and oversight mechanisms within the State. It also reopens the debate on transparency in political financing and the risks of infiltration by illegal economies.
For now, the answers are partial and the case is still developing. But with the emergence of these audios, the room for interpretation is narrowing: it is no longer just a matter of competing accounts, but of records documenting meetings and conversations that took place outside public scrutiny.