Colombian President arco
Executive summary
Colombian President Gustavo Petro, a former M‑19 guerrilla elected in 2022, remains a polarizing figure whose approval has fluctuated—falling to about 26% in July 2023 and near the low‑to‑mid 30s in 2024–25 in some polls [1] [2] [3]. Since 2023 his administration has faced scandals (notably around Armando Benedetti and Laura Sarabia), mass political resistance in Congress over reforms, and escalating tensions with the United States culminating in visa revocation and U.S. sanctions designations in late 2025 [4] [5] [6].
1. Petro’s political profile: from rebel to president
Gustavo Petro is Colombia’s 34th president and was a former guerrilla who campaigned as a left‑wing alternative to the Colombian establishment, promising changes on social policy, the environment and drug policy; analysts and his critics still debate whether he is Colombia’s first true left‑wing president [4] [7] [8].
2. Approval, reforms and domestic pushback
Petro’s popularity has been volatile: a Datexco poll showed approval as low as 26% in July 2023 and other sources place him around the low 30s into 2024–25 as he pushed ambitious reforms that largely stalled in Congress, generating confrontation between the executive and legislators [1] [3] [9]. Key legislative setbacks and corruption scandals involving ministers and relatives eroded political capital [1] [4].
3. Scandals that reshaped the Cabinet
In 2025 Petro dismissed his entire cabinet after controversy tied to the appointment of Armando Benedetti as chief of staff and the promotion of Laura Sarabia to foreign minister; reporting highlights leaked audio and campaign‑finance allegations tied to Benedetti and questions over Sarabia’s experience [1] [4]. Those episodes prompted a public crisis and reshuffling of his administration [4].
4. Security, the “Total Peace” plan and public safety concerns
Petro’s signature “Total Peace” initiative sought simultaneous talks with guerrillas and criminal networks but critics say it underperformed; public concern over insecurity and cocaine production rose and became a central electoral issue ahead of 2026 [2]. Independent analysts reported increases in citizens reporting they were affected by conflict between 2023 and 2024, underscoring the political cost [10] [2].
5. International fallout with the United States
Petro’s public actions in 2025—most visibly his appearance at a pro‑Palestinian demonstration in New York—led the U.S. State Department to revoke his visa in September 2025, a symbolic rupture in bilateral goodwill [5] [4]. Tensions escalated further when the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated Petro under counternarcotics authorities in October 2025, alleging links between his policies and increased cocaine production; the Treasury also sanctioned close associates [6] [11]. These are legally consequential and unprecedented measures against a sitting Colombian president according to the cited U.S. statements [6] [11].
6. Political landscape toward 2026 elections
Fragmentation defines the run‑up to the 2026 election: nearly 100 pre‑candidates were reported across the spectrum, polls in early 2025 showed a crowded field with independent figures and centrist contenders often polling ahead of government allies, signaling an uncertain electoral map for Petro’s camp [1] [2]. Internal party consultations in 2025 produced surprising results that underscore volatility [2].
7. Competing narratives and implicit agendas
Sources differ in framing Petro: some emphasize his symbolic representation of marginalized Colombians and progressive reforms [2] [10], while U.S. government statements and some international outlets frame him as responsible for a drug‑control failure and risk to bilateral ties [6] [11]. Domestic critics point to governance failures and scandals [1] [4]. Each narrative reflects distinct agendas—political opponents, international law‑enforcement perspectives, and Petro’s own reformist base [2] [6] [4].
8. What reporting does not settle
Available sources document allegations, policy outcomes and diplomatic steps, but they do not provide a single causal account tying Petro’s policies directly to the rise in coca cultivation that would stand as settled fact in this file: U.S. agencies assert a causal link in their designations [6] [11], while other reporting emphasizes contested political and structural drivers without concluding sole presidential responsibility [2] [10]. Sources do not mention independent forensic accounting that definitively proves coordination between Petro and criminal networks beyond the sanctions and U.S. claims [6] [11].
Summary judgement for readers: Petro transformed Colombian politics and remains a potent symbol for some voters, but a string of governance crises, stalled reforms, corruption scandals and an unprecedented rupture with the United States have left his political standing precarious and the country’s international posture strained heading into the 2026 elections [1] [4] [6] [2].