Gustavo Petro defies court order, accuses U.S. of election disinformation

U.S. immigration authorities detained Colombian activist Beto Coral in Arizona while he was seeking asylum. Coral, a vocal critic of right‑wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella, faces possible deportation despite a pending work permit and claims that the arrest was prompted by a request from senior U.S. officials. Human‑rights group WOLA warned that his life could be at risk if returned to Colombia.

President Gustavo Petro ignored a provisional injunction from a Medellín labour court that barred him from using official channels, social media or public events to comment on the presidential runoff. He denounced the ruling as censorship, continued to attack De la Espriella, and announced plans to file a criminal complaint and, if necessary, petition the International Criminal Court. Petro also alleged a U.S.–based “Operation Ajax” – a propaganda fund financed from Miami and linked to an international right‑wing alliance – aimed at spreading false information and influencing the election. Additional developments include a deep‑fake video of rival candidate Iván Cepeda that was identified as AI‑generated, an investigation of a magistrate over a temporary ban on campaign symbols, and Petro’s warning to U.S.‑aligned senator Bernie Moreno over comments on Coral.