Leyva claims that the recordings were made during a “private conversation,” though he does not deny plans to overthrow Petro.

WORLD NEWSLatin America News2 weeks ago19 Views

Colombian politics has been enveloped in intrigue and conspiracy over the past few months. However, one person stands out more than any other. Álvaro Leyva finds himself in a very precarious situation after audio recordings revealed by Adolfo Kunjuk News showed him saying that it was necessary to “remove” President Gustavo Petro from office, and that he sought the complicity of Republican congressmen from the United States who have direct connections to the White House. The former foreign minister during this government was one of Petro’s closest allies and even led a Constituent Assembly that included the prohibition of the first leftist president in modern Colombia from running in 2026. After leaving the executive branch due to administrative issues and feeling sidelined, Leyva turned into an adversary and made public statements claiming that the president was a drug addict and neglecting many of his responsibilities. His next step was to secure his removal within “no more than 20 days,” which would involve negotiations with the ELN guerrillas and the Gulf Clan, a paramilitary group. The conspiracy was underway.

In the revealed audios, Leyva also mentioned needing the support of Vicky Dávila, former director of the magazine Semana and now a presidential candidate with strong chances of winning according to polling. Dávila has called Leyva and recorded their conversation to prove she had no involvement. She also asked him if he had implicated Miguel Uribe, who is in critical condition after an assassination attempt. “Never, ever, in a million years,” Leyva emphasized.

The recordings of the veteran politician, aged 82, were obtained by the secret service and were played for the president. In them, he is heard saying that France Márquez, the vice president, knows the plan and agrees to take Petro’s place. Angered, almost furious, he summoned Márquez and demanded she publicly deny this. She responded that the accusations against her were untrue but stated she wouldn’t make a public declaration, according to witnesses. This moment irrevocably damaged their relationship, likely forever due to both of their stubborn natures. The president, portrayed as a self-absorbed individual, consumed by paranoia about being killed or ousted, finally had something tangible to hold onto.

Leyva’s trip to New York to seek support from the White House is documented, as is his conversation with Republican advisors, in which he explained that “international support” was essential to removing Petro from office. In his conversation with Dávila, he never denied these details. He asserted that his remarks were made “during an intimate conversation” in a restaurant and that it was “the ones recording” who were committing a crime. “In private conversations, one has the right to speak, to say things…” he defended.

In his conversation with Dávila, Leyva did not mention France Márquez, unlike in the audios. Petro requested this Monday in Spain that the vice president testify before the Prosecutor’s Office, implying that more individuals should do so without naming Leyva. He did, however, repeat that he is not a “coup plotter,” although he did not explain how he planned to oust Petro in three weeks. “My father was a victim of a coup d’état,” he added, “and we had to flee abroad. I am a person who participated in the Constituent Assembly (1991), and I limit myself to defending the Constitution and the laws.”

However, he has not clarified why he met with U.S. congressmen Mario Díaz-Balart and Carlos Giménez, influential Florida Republicans in Washington. They also have not clarified their involvement, although they denied being part of a conspiracy. “I have always met with people and groups from different parties and with different opinions,” Díaz-Balart explained. He called their involvement in the plot “falsehoods and fabrications.” Giménez echoed this sentiment, stating that he did not need anyone to convince him of his negative view of the Colombian president.

Leyva’s explanations, which he also refused to provide in an interview with this media outlet today, are vague and further fuel suspicions. The audios and evidence demonstrate his intention to end Petro’s constitutional mandate (“we need to get rid of this guy”). The president does not want France Márquez to resign but wants her to make it clear to the justice system that she was not part of the conspiracy, even though she was aware of it. The president wants his intuitions cast in stone.

Leave a reply

Loading Next Post...
Follow
Sign In/Sign Up Sidebar Search Trending 0 Cart
Popular Now
Loading

Signing-in 3 seconds...

Signing-up 3 seconds...

Cart
Cart updating

ShopYour cart is currently is empty. You could visit our shop and start shopping.