Colombia's President Faces Suspension Bid
Colombian Lawmakers Weigh Suspending President Petro Over Alleged Election Meddling Investigation
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Key Points
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Arizabaleta’s filing says Petro allegedly commented on social media “at least 22 times” about the election, including posts that referenced the candidates, their electoral strategies, and the June 21 runoff matchup between Iván Cepeda and Abelardo de la Espriella. (Article 3)
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Article 3 reports that since Petro took office in 2022, “up to 290 complaints” have been filed with the Investigation and Accusation Commission, with about “60” alleging interference in election campaigns that would violate legal requirements for political neutrality—and also raising questions about the financing of Petro’s own presidential campaign.
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Colombia’s Interior Minister Armando Benedetti argued the power to suspend the head of state is limited: he said “only the Senate is empowered” to make such a decision and only after the House’s plenary approves a formal accusation; he also stated, “The Accusations Commission cannot suspend the president of the Republic, much less the will of a single representative.” (Article 3)
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The leaked suspension document is described in Article 5 as “Substantiation Order number 002,” dated June 10 and signed only by Gloria Elena Arizabaleta Corral; Benedetti rejected it as constitutionally invalid, citing that Article 194 of Colombia’s Constitution requires Senate action after a formal procedure—procedures that were “completely omitted.” (Article 5)
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Article 4 says Arizabaleta “ordered the suspension” in a House committee ruling “bypassing all steps” needed for legal validity, and that colleagues were “shocked” because a suspension can only be ordered by the Senate based on the opinion of the House’s entire Accusations Committee; the report also says she denied filing the decree and told journalist Daniel Coronell she was still deciding. (Article 4)
A Colombian lawmaker has moved to temporarily suspend President Gustavo Petro from office over alleged election meddling — just 10 days before a high-stakes presidential runoff. Gloria Arizabaleta, chair of the House Commission of Investigation and Accusation, signed what is called "Substantiation Order number 002" on June 10, proposing Petro's suspension until June 21, the date of the runoff between Petro-backed leftist Iván Cepeda and conservative Abelardo de la Espriella Fox News.
The government fired back immediately. Interior Minister Armando Benedetti called the order "legally nonexistent" and "constitutionally invalid," and the move has plunged Colombia into an institutional standoff with a national election just days away Yahoo News.
Petro Accused of 22 Social Media Posts Violating Neutrality
Arizabaleta's filing claims Petro commented on the election "at least 22 times" on social media. The posts allegedly referenced both candidates, their campaign strategies, and the June 21 runoff. Colombian law requires the president to stay politically neutral during elections Fox News.
This is far from the first complaint against Petro. Since he took office in 2022, up to 290 complaints have been filed with the Commission. About 60 of those specifically allege interference in election campaigns. The filings also raise questions about the financing of Petro's own 2022 presidential campaign WWBL.
Benedetti Says Only the Senate Can Suspend a President
The government's legal argument is direct. Benedetti said "only the Senate is empowered" to suspend a president — and only after the full House plenary formally approves an accusation first. He stated bluntly, "The Accusations Commission cannot suspend the president of the Republic, much less the will of a single representative" Fox News.
The government points to Article 194 of Colombia's Constitution, which says any suspension must be "decreed by the Senate." Benedetti argued that the required House and Senate procedures were "completely omitted" before Arizabaleta signed the order. Former Constitutional Court magistrates have backed that reading, calling the move an "overreach" Yahoo News.
Arizabaleta Denied Filing the Order, Colleagues Were Shocked
The order's origins are murky. Arizabaleta's colleagues were reportedly "shocked" when it surfaced, because a suspension can only be ordered by the Senate acting on the opinion of the Commission's full membership — not a single chair AOL.
Arizabaleta denied filing the decree when asked by journalist Daniel Coronell, saying she was still deciding. One lawmaker from Petro's Historic Pact party, Representative Alejandro Ocampo, claimed the entire document is a leaked draft that was never formally filed — designed to "cause panic" just days before the vote AOL.
Washington Watches as U.S.-Colombia Ties Already Fraying
The standoff is drawing attention in Washington. Colombia is a key U.S. partner on security and drug trafficking in Latin America. But the relationship has deteriorated sharply. The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Petro in October 2025, and President Trump has publicly endorsed De la Espriella on Truth Social, calling him a "smart, strong, and tough leader" Fox News.
Petro has accused the U.S. of meddling in return. He stated, "Today, we have the president of the United States explicitly endorsing a candidate, violating his own constitution." The U.S. Embassy has issued security alerts ahead of the June 21 runoff, citing risks of protests and unrest Yahoo News.
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