Gustavo Petro Says Survived Suspected Assassination Attempt at Sea

By Al Mayadeen English

10 Feb 2026 23:24

Colombian President Gustavo Petro says he escaped an assassination attempt after his helicopter was diverted over security fears near the Caribbean coast.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has claimed he narrowly escaped an assassination attempt during an official trip to the Caribbean coast, following months of warnings about threats allegedly posed by drug traffickers.

Petro reveals details of alleged assassination attempt

Speaking during a cabinet meeting broadcast live on national television Tuesday, President Petro described the events of the previous night when his helicopter was unable to land at its intended destination due to a reported security threat.

"We headed out to open sea for four hours and I arrived somewhere we weren't supposed to go, escaping from being killed," Petro said during the broadcast.

He did not name the individuals or groups allegedly behind the plot but suggested that an armed attack on his aircraft was imminent.

Helicopter diverted over security threat

According to the president, the aircraft was forced to remain airborne over the sea for several hours before being diverted to an undisclosed location.

Petro emphasized that those on board feared the aircraft would come under fire if it approached the original landing zone.

Background: rising tensions and political targeting

The reported attempt on Petro’s life comes at a time of increasing political pressure and regional instability.

Just weeks earlier, Petro had publicly rejected accusations linking him and Venezuelan leaders to drug trafficking. In a series of statements issued in early January, he condemned such claims as politically motivated defamation, asserting that Colombia’s court records show no evidence of his involvement in narcotics-related crimes over the past five decades.

He also condemned US military strikes on Venezuela, describing them as illegal and imperial, and warned of a return to militarized interventionism across Latin America.

Petro characterized the aggression as a broader effort to delegitimize independent regional leaders and movements, calling for unity and sovereignty among Latin American nations.

He further stated that many of the narratives targeting him were responses to his outspoken positions on Venezuela, Palestine, and US foreign policy. Petro argued that attempts to slander his name and leadership were part of a larger campaign to silence dissenting voices in the Global South.

Security concerns ahead of political developments

Petro’s survival of this suspected assassination attempt has renewed concerns over his personal security and the wider threats facing Latin American leaders who challenge established power dynamics.

Analysts suggest that tensions with both internal opposition and external actors may be contributing to an increasingly volatile political environment.

As of now, no suspects have been named, and Colombian security services have not provided additional information regarding the alleged plot.