Colombia Spy Chief: Intelligence Cooperation with CIA Remains 'Hand in Hand' Despite Diplomatic Row

Colombia's intelligence director, Jorge Lemus, said cooperation with the CIA and other U.S. agencies remains 'completely fluid' despite a recent public dispute between President Gustavo Petro and Washington. Lemus emphasized that joint operations and information sharing are ongoing even as diplomatic tensions persist.

Intelligence ties continue

Lemus told reporters that longstanding security collaboration with U.S. counterparts has not been interrupted. He highlighted operational results, saying Colombia has dismantled 10,000 cocaine laboratories so far this year and that many of those missions were carried out 'many times together with them, hand in hand with them.' 'We continue exactly as before,' he added. 'At the end of the day, we are both fighting against drug trafficking.'

The comments come after the United States announced sanctions against President Gustavo Petro, accusing him of facilitating drug traffickers. Petro publicly protested, denouncing what he called foreign actions against alleged traffickers and at one point saying Colombia would stop sharing intelligence with the U.S. His aides later softened that position.

Why cooperation matters

Security experts warned that a break in intelligence sharing could lead to increased cocaine flows to the United States and strengthen criminal organizations. Former Colombian military and intelligence officials have described suggestions of a full break in cooperation as impractical, noting that intelligence from Colombian human sources often underpins U.S. signals and satellite collection.

Internal probe at the DNI

Lemus, a former guerrilla who was appointed director earlier this year, also addressed an internal controversy at the National Intelligence Directorate (DNI). An operative identified as Wilmar Mejia has been suspended pending an investigation into allegations he colluded with a rebel group to help them obtain weapons and move undetected.

Local media published alleged chat logs that reportedly linked Mejia with an army general and a commander of a FARC splinter group opposed to the 2016 peace accord. Reports said the operative helped create a security firm that enabled rebels to travel in armored vehicles and carry arms. Lemus described Mejia as a skilled officer who rose rapidly through the ranks and said the evidence against him may have been 'staged.'

President Petro has called the reports false and suggested foreign intelligence services were behind leaks of the material. Lemus denied any CIA involvement in the publication of the documents and said the president may have 'perhaps received incorrect information.' 'No, we don't support that accusation,' Lemus said, 'and the president also knows that the issue comes from other sources.'

The DNI said its cooperation with U.S. agencies remains active while internal inquiries proceed.