Gloria Arizabaleta, chair of Colombia's Commission of Investigation and Accusation, has proposed suspending President Gustavo Petro until June 21 amid an inquiry into alleged political interference described as "extremely serious" or "serious." The probe centers on accusations Petro was involved in Ivan Cepeda's presidential campaign. Any suspension would require approval from all 16 commission members and subsequent ratification by the Senate; commission member Miguel Silvera Padilla said Petro currently remains in office.
Colombian Investigation Panel Proposes Temporary Suspension of President Petro Ahead of June 21 Runoff
Colombian President Gustavo Petro shows the media his ballot before casting his vote at the Congress of the Republic during the first round of the presidential election, in Bogota, Colombia, in this handout photo released on May 31, 2026. Colombian Presidency/Handout via REUTERS
BOGOTÁ, June 10 (Reuters) — Gloria Arizabaleta, chair of Colombia's Commission of Investigation and Accusation, on Wednesday submitted a proposal to suspend President Gustavo Petro from his official duties until June 21, according to a document released the same day.
The motion is part of an inquiry into alleged political interference by Petro. The proposal characterizes the conduct under investigation as either "extremely serious" or "serious." The investigation centers on accusations that Petro was involved in the presidential campaign of Ivan Cepeda, a candidate from Petro's Pacto Histórico coalition.
What Would Need To Happen
Lawmakers and legal experts say the suspension cannot take effect unless the motion is first debated and approved by all 16 members of the Commission of Investigation and Accusation and then ratified by the Senate. The commission is a body within the lower house of Congress responsible for examining complaints and pursuing criminal or disciplinary charges against high-ranking officials.
"President Gustavo Petro has not been suspended; he remains in office," commission member Miguel Silvera Padilla said in a video statement.
Petro's four-year term runs until August. The proposed suspension comes days before a runoff vote scheduled for June 21 in which leftist Ivan Cepeda — reportedly linked to the controversy — will face right-wing lawyer Abelardo De La Espriella.
Context And Implications
If approved by the commission and the Senate, the temporary suspension would remove Petro from his duties only for the period specified in the proposal. The move is likely to heighten political tensions ahead of the runoff and could have implications for public perception of the electoral process and of Petro's political allies.
(Reporting by Carlos Vargas and Luis Jaime Acosta; Writing by Aida Pelaez-Fernandez and Iñigo Alexander; Editing by Daina Beth Solomon)
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