Former Foreign Minister Alvaro Leyva Accused of Alleged Plot to Oust President Petro in Colombia

In an explosive political revelation Spain’s main newspaper, El País, uncovered audio recordings and testimonies suggesting that former Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva looked for support from allies of US President Donald Trump in a secret effort to unseat Colombian President Gustavo Petro.

The scandal centers on a covert campaign Leyva reportedly initiated two months ago during meetings in the United States. According to sources and leaked audio recordings published by El País, Leyva approached Republican politicians among Marco Rubio and Mario Díaz-Balart to build international pressure for Petro’s removal, proposing that Vice President Francia Márquez take over the presidency. However, White House sources cited in the report confirmed the proposal was never seriously considered.

In one of the leaked audios, Leyva is heard saying, “We have to get that guy [Petro] out,” referencing the deteriorating public order in Colombia and suggesting that removing President Petro would require a “national agreement” involving both legitimate political actors and illegal armed groups such as the ELN and the Clan del Golfo. He also claimed Petro was unfit to govern due to alleged drug use, accusations both President Petro and his right-hand woman, Laura Sarabia, firmly deny.

Leyva, once one of Petro’s closest allies, the first foreign minister of his government and a key figure in his “total peace” strategy with armed groups, reportedly felt betrayed after being removed from office in 2024 by the Office of the Inspector General of Colombia following an irregular passport contract suspension. Allegedly, Leyva interpreted his ousting as unjust and sought revenge, initiating a campaign to undermine the presidency he once helped to build.

Particularly alarming to many is Leyva’s claimed intention to involve various US politicians. In the recordings, he mentions a meeting with Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart and efforts to reach Marco Rubio. However, Díaz-Balart has publicly denied any conspiracy. “The number of falsehoods and fabrications surrounding my frequent meetings with members of Colombian civil society makes me laugh. I have always met with people and groups from different parties and with different opinions (…). I have to laugh at so many fabrications, nonsense, and hypocrisy,” the congressman stated in Spanish via X following El País revelations.

Reacting from Spain, where he was attending a UN conference, President Petro called the situation serious and urged for legal accountability. “All those mentioned, whether what Leyva says is true or not, must give explanations: not just political, but legal,” Petro asserted. He linked the alleged plot to “a conspiracy with drug trafficking and the far right, apparently Colombian and American,” to overthrow him.

Vice President Francia Márquez, whom Leyva portrayed as a central player in his plan, has categorically denied any involvement. Through a press release, Márquez reaffirmed her loyalty to Petro and to Colombia’s democratic principles, pointing out that “I have a clear conscience, a clear mind, and a firm heart.”

“I will not allow my name to be used to feed personal interests or rivalries that do not contribute to building a more just and equitable country,” the statement read.

Despite the scandal, there is currently no official investigation against Leyva, though growing public and political pressure could change this.

Headline photo: President Gustavo Petro was reached by journalists in Seville (Spain), where he was attending the Fourth Conference on Financing for Development of the United Nations (UN). (Photo: Presidencia de la República)