Former Colombian Foreign Minister Alvaro Leyva reportedly sought to get support from the Trump administration to topple President Gustavo Petro and replace him with his vice president, Francia Marquez.
Spanish outlet El Pais detailed that Leyva met with people close to the Trump administration some two months ago with that purpose. It published a series of audios in which the former official details his intention to meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and get him to exert "international pressure" leading to Petro's fall. The White House never considered the proposal, the outlet added.
One source told El Pais that Leyva, 82, said "he had all the tools to execute his plan and remove" Petro. "His place would be taken by Francia Marquez. He had evidence that Petro could not continue holding office and, in case the plan was successful, the president wouldn't be able to respond to it. The U.S.'s help was very important," the source added.
The plan appeared to take place at the same time in which Leyva, who was close to Petro at the beginning of his administration, published an open letter accusing Petro of being a drug addict, to the point of disappearing for two days in Paris during an official visit.
"The memories I still have fresh, where I was a direct witness, cause me pain and puzzlement. One of them, the time when you disappeared for two days in Paris during an official visit. As if French intelligence was not competent to know where you went. An embarrassing time for myself as a person and as your foreign minister. Even more so when I found out where you had been. It pains me to say it today (certainly late) but by that time I was already aware of similar episodes of yours. It was in Paris where I could confirm your drug problem, but what could I do?" Leyva Duran said in the most explosive passage of his letter.
Leyva said in one of the audios that he met with Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart and sought to engage with Rep. Carlos Gimenez. "I can't stay where I am. We're halfway there through a path that has another 20 days to go. This won't stay like this," Leyva adds. He added that the vice president seemed to be on board, claiming they had a text conversation in which she said "we're firm to fulfill the promise to the Colombian people." "So I applaud her and send her a heart," Leyva said.
El Pais noted that the recordings have made their way to the Colombian secret service, and that Petro has already listened to them, reacting with anger. He publicly accused Leyva of trying to stage a coup but didn't add many details. He also questioned Marquez, who rejected the claim, saying the plan was also a plot against her and that "she could be trusted." Petro then demanded she reject her involvement in public, but she refused and their relationship is now completely broken. Leyva has not reacted to the publication.
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