The supposed closeness of Latin American ruling classes to drug cartels leaves open the possibility of any sanctions from the United States, and even a military operation. Here, in Mexico, the government of Claudia Sheinbaum, to some extent, protected itself with the takedown of El Mencho. Therefore, it is concerning that drug trafficking or narco-terrorism becomes the usual pretext for Washington to seek electoral influence or to hit governments that are not ideologically aligned with the White House, as seems to be the case with the leak of investigations against Gustavo Petro. I have always considered that collaboration with the United States is central to launching an effective pacification process in our country. Now, what the AP report suggests, the Colombian president is on the verge of the situation faced by Venezuelan Nicolás Maduro, who was also investigated, then formally accused, and finally—through a military operation—transferred to the United States, where he faces charges of narco-terrorism. There are several lines of investigation into Petro: alleged financing by criminal organizations, supposed meetings with drug lords, and even a possible extortion scheme against high-profile inmates, who would have been sold the promise that they would not be extradited to the United States. The Colombian president, leftist Gustavo Petro, is in the DEA's crosshairs. The known accusations are concentrated in his inner circle—including the president's son and one of his brothers—and are mainly based on testimonies not judicially corroborated. It is not novel for the DEA, and in general the US security and justice apparatus, to open investigations against sitting heads of state. On one hand, for the intelligence and other critical resources that US agencies can provide. It is also a politically charged revelation, detonated in the middle of a campaign: in May, the first round of a polarized presidential election will be held, where Colombia will decide whether to continue Petro's leftist project or opt for a hard-right option. My interpretation of the leak is that some officials, in the DEA or the Department of Justice, want to send the signal that they are fully on board with the MAGA movement. However, what AP has published about Petro is still striking: due to the magnitude of US interests in Colombia and because it refers to an investigation still in its incipient stage. They are entering the game of throwing news bombs, the more scandalous and confrontational, the better, to fuel the negotiation strategies of the current occupant of the White House. Unfortunately, this collaboration will only be possible to the extent that the DEA, and in general the US security apparatus, maintain a certain credibility and a semblance of political neutrality, something that seems increasingly distant. In addition to Maduro, there are the examples of presidents Manuel Noriega (Panama) and Juan Orlando Hernández (Honduras), who also ended up in North American prisons. Our neighbors will continue to insist on the idea of sending troops, but with the fall of El Mencho, they missed the best opportunity to deliver a swift and powerful blow in the media (which in the end seems to be what matters). However, in the medium and long term, new narratives could be constructed, with or without basis, about the criminal ties of the Mexican government, as well as other countries in the region. Oseguera Cervantes would have been the logical target for a hypothetical American operation on Mexican soil. However, so far, no evidence has been made public that personally implicates him. But also because the pressure from our neighbors can be beneficial to push necessary decisions that would otherwise not be feasible (such as the investigation of criminal networks that exist within some security agencies and some state governments). According to a report by the Associated Press (AP), published on Friday, Petro is on the DEA's list of priority targets, and there are currently ongoing investigations into his alleged ties to drug trafficking organizations. Petro's financial assets were already blocked in October by the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). This is an imprudent and gratuitous leak.
