Colombia Enhances Security for President Petro Amid Threats: Strengthened Intelligence and International Cooperation

Original article: Blindaje a Petro por amenazas: Colombia fortalece inteligencia y coordina cooperación internacional

Colombian President Gustavo Petro revealed that there was a conspiracy to attack a helicopter he was traveling in. «I come from two days, not in the arms of love, but escaping from being killed,» he reported, leading the Ministry of Defense to activate the enhancement of its intelligence capabilities.

The President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, reported a new plan targeting his life. This statement, made during the Council of Ministers meeting in Montería, immediately triggered an emergency mechanism from the Ministry of Defense, which has ordered the strengthening of intelligence capabilities and coordination with international agencies to neutralize any risks and bring the perpetrators to justice.

The presidential announcement not only alerted about an imminent danger but also revealed a supposed plot against him that was allegedly scheduled to occur during his recent trip to Washington, specifically during his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.

This situation has led the government to declare a state of maximum alert and to reconfigure the security protocols for the head of state.

Petro’s Statement: «Escaping So I Am Not Killed»

During the second day of the Council of Ministers in the capital of the Córdoba department, the Colombian leader chose to expose the threat publicly.

Petro described the tense moments experienced hours before his arrival in Montería, suggesting that security measures had to be altered on the fly to evade the risk of «an attack on the helicopter» he was traveling in with his children.

«I am not coming from the arms of love, but escaping so I am not killed. That’s why I arrived two hours late last night, because they had not even turned on the lights where I was supposed to land,» he asserted during his comments at the council focused on the flooding affecting northwestern Colombia.

He explained that after two hours of flight, there were no safety conditions for the presidential helicopter to land, forcing the aircraft to fly out to sea.

«In the morning, I did not land where I was supposed to because I had (information) that there would be gunfire aimed at the helicopter, with my children onboard too, and I did what I know how to do. So we took to open water for four hours and arrived where I wasn’t supposed to, but I made it,” he stated.

Throughout his presidency, which began on August 7, 2022, the progressive leader has repeatedly reported assassination plots against him.

Response from the Ministry of Defense

In light of the seriousness of the revelations made by the head of state, the security cabinet’s reaction was swift. Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez took control of the situation and outlined the roadmap law enforcement agencies will follow to ensure the protection of the Colombian president in a message shared on social media.

«The security of Mr. President Gustavo Petro, elected democratically, is a matter of State and an unyielding responsibility of all institutions,» he stated.

The protection strategy, as Sánchez explained, will focus on two fundamental pillars: the internal enhancement of Colombian intelligence and coordination with international agencies.

«Therefore, I have ordered the leadership of our Armed Forces and Police of Colombia to activate and strengthen all their intelligence and counterintelligence capabilities, in collaboration with Interpol and international organizations with which cooperation agreements exist, to anticipate, identify, and neutralize any threats against the President of Colombians,» indicated the Defense Secretary.

Minister Sánchez not only called for the collection of information but also established a centralized mechanism for analysis and operational decision-making. All intelligence gathered by different state agencies will be channeled to the Joint Intelligence Board (JIC), an organization responsible for filtering data and converting it into actionable knowledge.

«The information collected in the coming days will be assessed at a Joint Intelligence Board (JIC) to make intelligence, counterintelligence, and operational decisions where necessary,» he emphasized.

Alongside intelligence and security actions, the government has decided to activate the judicial apparatus to ensure that the case does not remain in the secrecy of intelligence services but has a counterpart in judicial circles. Sánchez was emphatic that the ultimate goal is to ensure the prosecution of those responsible, sending a clear message that the State will not only protect the president but will also hold accountable those who threaten Colombia’s democratic order.

«We will also inform the Attorney General’s Office of the available data and information regarding this situation, aiming to identify, prosecute, and bring to justice those behind these threats against democracy,» Sánchez concluded on his social media.