Petro’s Belgium Trip Notice Reached Senate After He Left, Semana Says
Key Facts
Colombia’s constitution keeps former presidents on a short leash for their first year out of office. Gustavo Petro’s second trip abroad since leaving office is now testing how tight that leash is.
Former Colombian president Gustavo Petro, who left office on 7 August 2026, posted photos from Brussels on 11 September. Semana, a Bogotá news magazine, reported that he had not told the Senate beforehand, as his travel permit requires.
Why This Matters
Article 196 of Colombia’s constitution bars former presidents from leaving the country without Senate permission. The rule applies for one year after they cease to hold office, which for Petro runs until August 2027.
Infobae described the rule as a guard against ex-presidents avoiding accountability while investigations may still open. Petro, a leftist who governed from 2022 to 2026, faces inquiries into his campaign financing, Infobae noted.
A Permit With One Condition
The Senate approved a one-year travel permit for Petro on 12 August 2026 by 73 votes to 11. El Colombiano reported that the opposition Democratic Centre party added a condition requiring notice of each trip.
Petro must tell the Senate the dates and destination before every departure, Infobae reported. Senate president Honorio Henríquez said the same duty applies to every former president under the constitution.
Opposition senator Enrique Gómez argued the permit could let Petro leave the country and never return. Senator Antonio Correa replied that investigating crimes belongs to prosecutors and the Supreme Court, not to senators.
What Semana Reported
Petro followed the rule for his first trip, notifying the Senate in August of a visit to Mexico City. That trip ran from 30 August to 2 September 2026, according to his letter.
On 11 September, Semana reported that the Senate had no notice of a new trip, this time to Belgium. Petro had posted on X: “I do not walk among corpses, I walk among books and thoughts.
Brussels, 11/09/26.”; two days later, Semana reported that a letter from Petro reached the Senate on 11 September at 4.22 pm. The letter said he would be abroad from 9 to 15 September for an academic event in Belgium.
What Is Not Yet Known
The resolution, as reported, does not spell out any penalty for late notice. The Senate leadership has not said in public whether it will take any step over the trip.
El Tiempo and La FM published the letter on 12 September but did not say when it was sent. It is also unclear which academic event he attended in Brussels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does a former Colombian president need Senate permission to travel?
Article 196 of the constitution requires Senate permission for trips abroad during the first year after leaving office. Petro’s year runs until August 2027.
Did Petro break the law?
No authority has said so. Semana reported that his notice reached the Senate after he had already left for Belgium.
Sources: Semana, Petro did not notify the Senate of his trip, Semana, the late letter to the Senate, Senado de Colombia, scope of Petro’s travel permit, Infobae, the Senate vote and debate, El Colombiano, Petro’s notice for the Mexico trip, El Tiempo, the Brussels letter to the Senate
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