Last week, as the Investigative Unit of EL TIEMPO had anticipated, federal agents came to Colombia to collect information about a list of people who They would be directly involved in cases of state corruption, drug trafficking, transnational bribery and even links with narcoterrorist organizations that are of interest to the United States.
According to what this newspaper established, they even listened to a former vice minister and crossed data that had already been delivered. in Washington and in Miami by active officials and former members of the Petro government who claim to be willing to collaborate with the delivery of information in exchange for a kind of immunity.
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Different processes
Angie Rodríguez, Gustavo Petro and Verónica Alcocer Photo:Social networks
And although in some sectors it was initially believed that the announcement of bringing corruption cases to the United States was a simple political strategy, which in Colombia has not advanced or has done so slowly, The measures that Donald Trump’s government has been taking make it clear that these are issues that touch on judicial grounds and administrative sanctions.
Just 24 hours ago, Ricardo Roa, former head of Ecopetrol, was notified of the withdrawal of visas. In addition to Wadith Manzur, senator-elect and former representative to the House; Karen Astrith Manrique, elected representative; Julio Elías Chagüi Flórez, former senator, and Liliana Esther Bitar Castilla, former senator, prosecuted for the so-called looting of the National Disaster Risk Management Unit (UNGRD). The package is completed by Yahir Acuña, mayor of Sincelejo, prosecuted for alleged links with paramilitary organizations and for illicit enrichment; and José Ignacio Mesa Betancur, former congressman and former mayor of Envigado; investigated for links with the ‘Envigado Office’.
Former first lady Verónica Alcocer herself revealed that the case that has her on the Ofac list, since October 24, 2025, is different from the one that led the Trump government to apply that same sanction to her ex-husband Gustavo Petro, to his stepson Nicolás Petro Burgos and the former Minister of the Interior Armando Benedetti.
Álex Saab and Álvaro Pulido Photo:Private file
And sources close to those cases told EL TIEMPO that, Although there are at least five investigation fronts, it is easy to conclude – by those sanctioned – what the United States is tracking, who can continue on the list and how far Uncle Sam’s investigations can escalate.
“I’ll give you an example: we had to wait several years to prosecute Álex Saab from Barranquilla and his Bogotá partner Álvaro Pulido, but they are already in Washington prisons”assured a source from Miami, who added that in some cases the loss of a visa may be the previous step to administrative sanctions and the opening of a indictment.
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The two Catalans
President Gustavo Petro and Ricardo Roa, manager of his presidential campaign. Photo:Private file
In the Colombian case, those sanctioned with the ban on traveling to the United States have common denominators. To Nicolás Petro, to the contractor Euclides Torres (who lost his visa in the second round of sanctions on September 28) and Ricardo Roa, former head of Ecopetrol (who lost it 24 hours ago), are united by the issue of alleged irregularities in the financing of the Petro Presidente campaign.
However, Roa and Verónica Alcocer also appear in domestic proceedings over alleged irregularities at Ecopetrol, which both have emphatically denied. The former first lady even opened the possibility – in the dialogue she had with fellow channel RCN – that someone had used her name to obtain benefits in contracts and in the assignment of key positions in her ex-husband’s government.
The Catalans Manel Grau and Xavier Vendrell. Photo:Private file
Within this context, it is clear that while in Colombia the legal mechanisms to withdraw Colombian citizenship from the Catalans Xavier Vendrell and Manel Grau, in the United States they are asking for information about their behavior.
Even, Informed sources told EL TIEMPO that there has already been an exchange of information with Spain, where at least one has had open criminal proceedings.
In fact, while the first lady’s defense describes Grau as a “cultural benefactor in Barcelona”, in Washington they describe him as a target of interest.
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Former members of the Police and politicians
The scuffle between Daniel Quintero and Albert Corredor over votes against ‘Fico’ Photo:Courtesy
Under that same label Former Ecopetrol executives, contractors, officials from the past four years and local politicians appear.
According to sources in Miami, it is a matter of weeks before the first results of the information provided by the mayor of Medellín, Federico Gutiérrez, are delivered. about the corrupt network that ate away at the coffers of the Paisa capital during the administration of Daniel Quintero, which has links to alleged irregularities in Ecopetrol.
EL TIEMPO even established that they are asking about former members of the National Police, by politicians involved in corruption cases such as that of the UNGRD and even by files from at least one control body who are accused of having received bribes to leave investigations still.
INVESTIGATIVE UNIT
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