DEA names Colombian president 'priority target' as US prosecutors probe ties to drug traffickers
AP News • • general
Key Points:
- The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has designated Colombian President Gustavo Petro as a “priority target” in investigations into his alleged ties to drug traffickers, including possible connections to Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel and schemes involving drug smuggling through Colombian ports.
- Federal prosecutors in New York are probing allegations that Petro’s representatives solicited bribes from drug traffickers to block their extradition to the U.S., though it is unclear if Petro himself has been implicated in any crimes.
- Petro denies all allegations of drug trafficking and campaign funding from traffickers, attributing accusations to political opponents; Colombia’s embassy in Washington dismissed the reports as unverified and without legal basis.
- The investigation also scrutinizes Petro’s family members, with his
