U.S. Prosecutors Investigate Colombia’s President, a Onetime Trump Foe

New York Times
by Nicole Hong, Jonah E. Bromwich, William K. Rashbaum and Annie Correal
March 20, 2026
3 min read

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The Bottom Line

U.S. Justice Department is investigating Colombian President Gustavo Petro for alleged connections to drug traffickers.

AI Summary

The U.S. Justice Department is investigating whether Colombian President Gustavo Petro has connections to drug traffickers. Petro, who has long positioned himself as a critic of U.S. foreign policy and was vocal in his opposition to Trump's hardline drug enforcement stance, now faces a federal inquiry into potential criminal ties. The investigation carries significant diplomatic weight given Colombia's role as a key U.S. ally in combating narcotics trafficking in South America. A finding of drug-trafficking connections could strain bilateral relations and complicate Colombia's cooperation with American law enforcement agencies. The probe marks an unusual situation where a sitting head of state aligned with the Trump administration's geopolitical interests faces scrutiny from federal prosecutors.

What's Being Done

The Justice Department is conducting a federal investigation into whether Petro has connections to drug traffickers.

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