Verónica Alcocer, former First Lady of Colombia and ex-partner of Gustavo Petro, was accused by former presidential adviser Eva Ferrer of having smuggled drugs to Venezuela on an official plane and returning with 2.5 million dollars in cash.
The statements, published by Semana in an interview with Ferrer, sparked calls for an investigation into the use of state aircraft.
The Colombian president, Abelardo de la Espriella, announced an investigation within the Colombian Air Force regarding the flights and the possible involvement of military personnel, as reported by the magazine.
Ferrer, who participated in Petro's presidential campaign in 2022 and was close to Alcocer, placed the alleged transfer during the trip on January 31, 2023, aboard the Legacy FAC 1218.
According to his account in Semana, the Catalan businessman Manel Grau recounted about the money coming from Venezuela and drug trafficking. His accusation is based on information attributed to third parties, rather than having personally witnessed the transport.
Petro presented the trip as a cultural visit
In a new post, Semana highlighted the message in which Petro explained the visit. The tweet is dated February 1, 2023, one day after the flight indicated by Ferrer.
The then-president stated that Alcocer had traveled with Jorge Ignacio Zorro, an official from the Ministry of Culture, to learn about the Venezuelan orchestral system. He also announced that Colombia would promote an orchestra system linked to the educational sector that year.
During the visit, Alcocer met with Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores, as shown in the photographs that were released at the time and reproduced by Semana. The public explanation of the trip contrasts with the unlawful purpose now attributed to Ferrer, but the message does not suggest that Petro was aware of or involved in the reported activities.
The official flights and the Alcocer environment
In a supplementary investigation, Semana reported 149 flight records associated with Alcocer between August 2022 and July 2026, of which 137 corresponded to state aircraft. Among the passengers, it mentioned Grau and Mario Fernández Alcocer, cousin of the former First Lady.
The magazine also published details of the flight to Venezuela. These records document the movement, but do not prove the accusations regarding the contents of the luggage.
According to Ferrer, part of the money would have funded Fernández Alcocer's campaign for the Governorship of Sucre. The former advisor also accused Senator Agmeth Escaf of pocketing a portion of those funds and described Alcocer as the person who led an alleged network of illegal activities.
In the interview with Semana, Ferrer also linked people from that environment to an alleged arms trafficking operation. This is another accusation from his account, without demonstrating that weapons were transported on the specified flight.
Grau, a central figure in the statements, received Colombian nationality during Petro's government and was appointed a member of the board of directors of Central de Inversiones S.A. (CISA), according to an investigation by Infobae regarding his career and connection to Alcocer.
The sanctions and the Venezuelan context
The complaints surfaced almost a year after the United States sanctioned Petro and members of his inner circle, including Alcocer.
The Department of the Treasury announced the measures on October 24, 2025, and accused the then-president of contributing to international drug trafficking and maintaining an alliance with Maduro.
This context includes the U.S. allegations against the Cártel de los Soles. The Department of Justice has accused high-ranking Venezuelan officials of being involved in a drug trafficking network and collaborating with the FARC to smuggle cocaine into the United States.
Petro, for his part, publicly denied the existence of the Cartel of the Suns in August 2025 and argued that this label was used to justify actions against governments that did not comply with Washington. These precedents do not establish a connection between that network and the trip reported by Ferrer.
Negative responses and research requests
Escaf rejected Ferrer's accusations, denied any connections with drug traffickers or arms dealers, and asserted that he had not misappropriated the indicated funds. He also announced legal action.
The Vice President of the House of Representatives, Simón Molina, called for investigations in Colombia and the United States. Other leaders demanded clarity regarding the origin and destination of the funds and the possible use of public assets for illegal activities.
The allegations regarding drugs, money, and weapons have not been proven in court. The announced investigation will need to determine what happened during the flights, who was involved, and whether there are elements that support the account circulated by Semana.
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