Colombian president accuses US representative of plotting his overthrow

BOGOTA, Colombia

Colombian President Gustavo Petro accused US Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart on Tuesday of being a leader of a purported plot to orchestrate his overthrow.

In a series of statements posted on X, Petro alleged the Florida Republican lawmaker is actively working to remove him from office through congressional action.

"Senator Diaz-Balart, you know it very well; you are not only trying to overthrow the President of Colombia through parliamentary means, in alliance with the Colombian far-right, but also to silence me so that I am not in the electoral campaign," he said.

"I hope, and I believe in this, that you do not have the support of the US government; it cannot be that blind and clumsy. If you overthrow the president, a revolution will break out in Colombia," Petro warned.

Díaz-Balart swiftly responded, lashing out against the Colombian head of state and accusing him of a serious drug addiction. The accusation echoes similar claims previously made against Petro by a former official from his own administration.

"Gustavo Petro seems to be once again under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or both. He has reached the point where he can't even spell common names," Díaz-Balart said in his response.

The politician, who clarified for Petro that he is not a senator, but rather a member of the House of Representatives, went further, even suggesting the head of state should undergo a rehabilitation process, "given what would be his evident dependence on psychoactive substances."

Petro did not provide specific evidence to substantiate his claims against Diaz-Balart, who is a Cuban-American voice in US foreign policy and a known critic of leftist governments in Latin America.

The lawmaker has historically been critical of Petro's administration, particularly concerning its security policies, approach to drug trafficking, and diplomatic ties with nations such as Venezuela.