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Report: Former Colombian Foreign Minister Allegedly Sought US Support for Coup Against Petro
Above: Colombian President Gustavo Petro and his former Foreign Minister Alvaro Leyva on May 30, 2023. Image copyright: Evaristo Sa/AFP via Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-government narrative
These leaked audio recordings expose how far-right elites in Colombia have been conspiring with their like-minded counterparts in the U.S. to undermine the country's democratically elected government and remove Colombia's first-ever leftist president from office. While the coup plot failed to gain momentum, it's concerning to realize that U.S. officials did discuss it.
Government-critical narrative
This alleged coup attempt existed only in the mind of Leyva, as anyone in their right mind would have found his ideas absurd and impossible to execute. On top of that, this leak appears to be a calculated political move by the government to try to smear the opposition for a plot that actually involves a former ally of Petro and his vice president.