Gustavo Petro requests Senate permission to travel abroad for one year

Former Colombian President Gustavo Petro has formally requested authorization from the Senate to travel abroad for a period of one year. The request, filed on August 10, 2026, follows the conclusion of his presidential term on August 7, 2026, when Abelardo de la Espriella assumed office.

Petro cited Article 196 of the Colombian Constitution and Law 5 of 1992 as the legal basis for his petition. Under these regulations, former presidents are prohibited from leaving the national territory during the first year after their term ends without express permission from the Senate plenary. Petro stated the authorization is necessary to attend to various personal, social, political, and academic commitments internationally.

The request comes at a time when Petro faces over one hundred judicial processes before the Commission of Accusations of the House of Representatives. These investigations primarily concern alleged irregularities in his 2022 election campaign financing and his participation in political activities during the 2026 electoral period. The Senate must now decide whether to grant or deny the request during an upcoming plenary session.