COLOMBIA · POLITICS
Key Facts
- —What is happening A woman alleged on Sunday, 25 October, that former President Gustavo Petro gave her state contracts in exchange for sex. He denies it, his lawyer plans to sue Semana, and a watchdog seeks a probe.
- —Why it matters Petro led Colombia, a key US security partner, until early August 2026, and the US Treasury sanctioned him in October 2025. The claim opens a new legal and political front around him.
- —The numbers Public records show the woman on at least five state contracts worth over 100 million pesos (about US$31,500), and she alleges a network of 30 to 40 women.
- —Who is who Gustavo Petro is a leftist former senator and president. Camilo Enciso leads the Anticorruption Institute, the watchdog that filed the complaint, and Abelardo de la Espriella, a conservative, is now president.
- —What to watch Watch whether the House committee that handles complaints against presidents takes the case, and whether Petro’s lawyer files his promised lawsuit against the magazine this week.
- —Power Index Colombia ranks 6th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 51.9 points (October 2026 edition).
- —What it means for you US readers following Colombia’s politics, bonds or peso should treat this as an unproven allegation, because no court or prosecutor has confirmed any part of it.
A woman says Colombia’s former president paid her in state contracts for sex. He denies it, and no authority has confirmed it.
A Colombian woman has alleged that former President Gustavo Petro gave her state contracts in exchange for sex, which he strongly denies. The claim, made in an interview published on Sunday, 25 October, has led to a formal complaint to Congress.
Petro’s lawyer says he will sue the magazine Semana this week, and no court or prosecutor has confirmed the allegation. Petro led Colombia until early August 2026; see the Colombia hub for wider coverage.
What the Petro Contracts Complaint Alleges
Deicy Jiménez told the magazine Semana that she met Petro in 2019, when he was a senator, through an online platform. She says they began a relationship and that she later worked on state service contracts.
She alleges the contracts were payment for sex and that a network of 30 to 40 women worked on the same terms. The interviewer, Semana journalist Vicky Dávila, says some of the material is too intimate to publish.
Jiménez also alleges she carried drugs on his behalf, a claim no authority has confirmed. Colombian outlets stress that her account is one person’s testimony that needs independent checking.
What the Public Records Show
Documents seen by Semana and El Tiempo, as reported by RPP, show five state contracts worth over 100 million pesos (about US$31,500). One, from September 2023, was for over 34 million pesos (about US$10,700) at the Senate.
Two Interior Ministry contracts from 2025 and 2026 total over 40 million pesos (about US$12,600). A June 2025 contract with the private security regulator was for 18 million pesos (about US$5,700).
La FM, cited by El País, counted ten contracts since 2021 in the official anticorruption portal, one still active. That one, signed on 21 January 2026 with the Interior Ministry, is worth over 30 million pesos (about US$9,500).
The records show the contracts exist, but not why they were awarded. Publimetro notes that the contracts do not, by themselves, prove an exchange for sex.
Conversions here use the 26 October 2026 rate of about 3,170 pesos per US dollar. Colombian outlets quote the contract values in pesos.
How Petro and the Magazine Responded
Petro answered on Sunday with a two-page statement on X, saying he has never given a contract in return for sex. He wrote that he has never used public power to obtain sex.
He also said the government of President Abelardo de la Espriella is behind an operation to dig into his private life. Semana noted that he made the claim without evidence.
Petro’s lawyer, Alejandro Carranza, said he will file criminal and civil claims against Semana and Dávila this week. He argued the report rests on one person’s account and that the chats shown prove nothing.
Dávila wrote that Petro has a right to a private life like any citizen. She argued that public money and possible abuse of power are alleged, so the country should know and justice should investigate.
Who Has Asked for an Investigation
On Sunday the Anticorruption Institute, a watchdog group led by Camilo Enciso, filed a complaint with the House of Representatives’ accusations committee. It sent a copy to the criminal chamber of the Supreme Court.
The institute lists possible offences, including embezzlement, influence peddling and improper interest in contracts. It says its filing is not a claim that the allegations are true.
Ombudsman Iris Marín asked the Supreme Court, the accusations committee and the Procuraduría, the state disciplinary watchdog, to prioritise the case. She stressed that due process and the presumption of innocence must apply.
The Justice Ministry and the national protection unit opened a protection route for Jiménez on Sunday, on the president’s orders. De la Espriella said that, if proven, the case would be corruption with criminal consequences.
On 21 October, presidential office chief Carlos Ríos said he would file a complaint over 48 women allegedly hired by service contract. Its evidence has not been published in the sources reviewed.
In Plain English
- Semana: a Colombian news magazine whose journalist Vicky Dávila interviewed the woman.
- Anticorruption Institute: a private watchdog group, led by Camilo Enciso, that files complaints about public spending.
- Accusations committee: the House committee that handles complaints against presidents; it must first decide whether it has jurisdiction.
- Service contract: a short state contract paid per service, not a permanent civil-service job.
- One million pesos: about US$315 at the 26 October rate.
What It Means for US Readers
Colombia is a major US security partner, and Petro was at the centre of a sharp dispute with Washington while president. The US Treasury designated him under counternarcotics authorities on 24 October 2025.
The Rio Times has covered the US visa pressure on people around Petro. The new complaint is a Colombian matter, and no US agency has been quoted on it.
Bond and peso investors should read this as political news, not a policy change. For background on the August change of government, see Colombia explained.
What Is Not Known
No court or prosecutor has said it will open a case. No authority has confirmed that any contract was tied to sex, or the drug claim.
Outlets differ on details, such as Jiménez’s age (26 or 29) and her contract count (five to ten). Petro’s statement was read through press reports, not the original post.
What Comes Next
The accusations committee must first decide whether it has jurisdiction, as the Anticorruption Institute asked. Petro’s lawyer says he will file his lawsuit against Semana this week.
A complaint is not an investigation, and an investigation is not a charge. None of these steps means a finding of wrongdoing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Gustavo Petro?
Petro is Colombia’s former president, a leftist and former senator who left office in early August 2026. Abelardo de la Espriella, a conservative, succeeded him.
What is Petro accused of?
A woman alleges he gave her state contracts in exchange for sex. He says he has never done so, and no authority has confirmed the claim.
Has anyone been charged?
No charges have been filed. A watchdog has filed a complaint, and officials have asked the authorities to investigate.
Does this involve US sanctions on Petro?
No, the new complaint is a Colombian matter. Petro was separately sanctioned by the US Treasury in October 2025 under counternarcotics authorities.
Who is the woman?
Deicy Jiménez gave the interview to Semana. The government has opened a protection route for her.
Sources: Semana, interview, 25 October; Semana, contracts; Semana, Petro statement; Semana, complaint filed; Semana, reactions; RPP, 25 October; Infobae, Petro’s lawyer; Infobae, Justice Ministry; El País Cali, Anticorruption Institute; El País Cali, Petro response; El País Cali, Ombudsman; Publimetro; Vanguardia; US Treasury, 24 October 2025; open.er-api.com exchange rates, 26 October (all accessed 26 October 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief