Spanish newspaper El Pais confirmed that Colombia’s former Foreign Minister Alvaro Leyva sought US support for a plan to overthrow President Gustavo Petro.
According to the newspaper, audio recordings of Leyva and testimonies from people close to the US Government confirmed Petro’s allegations of an impending coup d’état.
Prosecutor General Luz Adriana Camargo confirmed a few weeks ago that her office was investigating audio recordings in which a coup d’état was discussed.
These audio recordings have no apparently been leaked and confirmed by American sources close to US President Donald Trump.
One of the people who had been approached in April by Leyva, a senior member of the Conservative Party, told El Pais anonymously that the former foreign minister had a plan to replace Petro with Vice-President Francia Marquez.
He told us he had all the tools to execute a plan and get him out. His place would be taken by Francia Marquez. He had evidence that Petro could not continue in office and that if this went ahead, the president would not have the capacity to respond. The help of the Americans was very important.
Source of El Pais
In the audio that was leaked to the newspaper, Leyva is heard telling others that “we’ve got to get rid of this guy.”
This guy overseeing the elections [of 2026]… like, moreover, public order is out of control. This may not happen, but with a great national accord that should include [guerrilla group] ELN, the people from [paramilitary organization EGC, a.k.a.] Clan del Golfo. I have talked with the most important business associations. The Clan del Golfo people came here, it’s a fucked up thing. This country is going off the cliff.
Alvaro Leyva
In an attempt to get public support for his apparent plans to overthrow the president, Leyva published lengthy letters on social media platform X in which he accused Petro of being addicted to drugs and Foreign Minister Laura Sarabia of providing for the president’s alleged vices.
El Pais reported that Leyva also sought support from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and far-right Florida lawmakers who have historically been critical of the Colombian president and progressive or socialist politics in general.
In the recording, Leyva is heard proposing to seek the support of far-right politicians like former journalist Vicky Davila and Senator Miguel Uribe, who subsequently became the victim of an assassination attempt.
In a response to the publication, Sarabia said that her predecessor sought to “attack democracy” because of an “excessive ambition for power.”
The former foreign minister apparently left the country after Petro publicly denounced the apparent cup plot that ended up on record and in the hands of the DNI intelligence agency.
