Marxist former President of Colombia Gustavo Petro confirmed Thursday that he intends to travel abroad as the country finds itself in the aftermath of this week’s deadly earthquake.
Article 196 of the Colombian Constitution states that a former president may not leave Colombia within the first year of having stepped down from office without an authorization from the Colombian Senate. Former President Petro concluded his four-year presidency on August 7, 2026, when he was succeeded by conservative President Abelardo de la Espriella.
Local outlets reported this week that Petro presented a travel authorization request to the Colombian Senate on Monday, August 10 — the same day a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck the South American nation, leaving at least 281 deaths, nearly 4,000 injured, and 379 missing as of the most recent death toll published at press time.
According to the Colombian newspaper El Tiempo, Petro requested authorization to leave the country, citing commitments of a “personal, social, political, and academic nature” spanning the next year. The former president did not disclose where he intends to travel or what activities he intends to engage in abroad, but reportedly requested that his request be submitted to a vote at the Senate’s next session.
Colombian senators approved Petro’s request on Wednesday evening with 73 votes in favor and 11 against. Per Infobae, the request was approved at the end of a heated debate among the Colombian lawmakers — particularly, as the former president is the target of more than 200 different congressional probes.
Some of the numerous probes include allegations of drug addiction and illicit financing during his 2022 presidential campaign, as well as several disciplinary complaints over his behavior during the past presidential election campaign. Infobae reported that some Colombian senators argued that Petro’s departure from Colombia may affect his ability to respond to any of the ongoing probes.
Former President Petro, in a post on social media Thursday night, confirmed that he requested authorization to travel out of Colombia but asserted that he did not request to leave the country “for a year,” as, according to him, “[M]y power resides in the Colombian people and their love — why would I leave them?”
“I have requested authorization from the Senate to leave the country during the coming year, that is a very different matter, but to understand it, one must first read the U.S. Clinton Law,” Petro wrote, referring to the U.S. sanctions imposed on him last year.
“I can teach what I’ve learned anywhere, but that doesn’t mean abandoning Colombia,” he continued, and affirmed, “I am not sick, I am still capable of doing new things and putting forward ideas, and that is my right.”
El Tiempo reported that Senators from the conservative Democratic Center were among those that voted in favor of Petro’s request — an action that reportedly sparked questioning and criticism on social media. The party, which fiercely opposed Petro during his four-year presidency, released a statement on Thursday evening addressing the controversy and emphasizing that it has not changed its position towards Petro but that it instead “imposed conditions” for his request.
The party statement explained that, while Petro had requested an “open and indefinite” authorization, follow-up mechanisms were imposed as conditions. As such, Petro must report the dates and destinations of his upcoming trips, making the authorization subject to oversight, monitoring, and reversal should it be required. The party pointed out that former presidents had also issued the same request once they left office.
“Our opposition to Petro does not disregard the Constitution and the rule of law. Investigations and any eventual responsibilities must proceed through the appropriate institutional channels. If a competent authority establishes restrictions, they must be complied with,” the Democratic Center wrote.
“This is not about defending Petro. It is about conducting opposition within the Constitution. Petro is monitored, scrutinized, and required to answer politically for his actions. And if legal responsibilities exist, it will be up to the competent authorities to determine them,” the text continued.
Similarly, conservative former President Álvaro Uribe Vélez addressed the situation in a brief video. Uribe detailed that the party successfully imposed the condition that Petro must report to Congress on every upcoming trip — something that, Uribe said, he did once he left office in 2010. Per Uribe, there is currently no judicial reason to deny the permit to Petro.
“Had that permit not been approved, absent any judicial restriction, former President Petro’s fundamental right to freedom of movement would have been violated,” Uribe argued.
Former President Uribe stressed that, although he respects those who disagree with the party, he asked them to examine arguments and said, “the way things are going on social media, with nothing but visceral accusations, we are going to generate more violence in Colombia.”
Christian K. Caruzo is a Venezuelan writer and documents life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.