Eva Ferrer, a former adviser to Colombia’s former first lady Veronica Alcocer, would be willing to provide evidence to support her serious allegations against the former wife of ex-President Gustavo Petro. However, she will not testify before the Attorney General’s Office this Wednesday because she is outside the country and has requested security guarantees.
Her lawyer, Jhonny Batalla, confirmed the information, saying his client is willing to cooperate with Colombian authorities and U.S. law enforcement if there is a formal request related to the alleged transnational crimes she reported.
The statements add a new chapter to the political and legal controversy sparked by an interview published last weekend by Semana magazine. In it, Ferrer accused Alcocer of allegedly having ties to a criminal network linked to drug trafficking, arms trafficking, and the movement of large sums of money between Venezuela and Colombia.
So far, the serious allegations have not been supported by evidence made publicly available, and no court ruling has established the former first lady’s criminal liability. In fact, the initial judicial inquiries stem not from Ferrer’s statements to the press last weekend, but from the leak of an audio recording in August containing similar allegations.
Eva Ferrer would present evidence against Veronica Alcocer, seeks protection
Batalla confirmed this Wednesday that Ferrer would not appear before the Attorney General’s Office in Bogota as scheduled. He explained that the decision was driven by concerns for her safety and the need to determine what protective measures the authorities could provide.
The lawyer said his client is outside Colombia and would be prepared to submit the evidence that, according to him, would support her allegations. The priority, he stressed, is to coordinate the necessary safeguards so she can testify and make the material available to investigators.
Ferrer’s absence comes as authorities seek to establish the basis for her allegations. Her statements have prompted new proceedings by the Attorney General’s Office and the Inspector General’s Office [the oversight body responsible for monitoring state institutions], which is conducting a preliminary disciplinary investigation into possible irregularities involving the use of official aircraft and has summoned former officials to provide information.
“We are going to take this matter seriously. Let it move beyond the realm of journalism and go where it belongs, where the truth should be investigated,” the lawyer told reporters outside the Attorney General’s Office on Wednesday morning.
Batalla also said Ferrer would be willing to cooperate with U.S. authorities if they formally requested her testimony or the evidence she claims to possess. The lawyer believes the alleged events could have a transnational dimension, although any involvement by U.S. law enforcement would depend on the jurisdiction of the relevant agencies and the existence of a formal request.
Allegations involving flights to Venezuela
In the interview published by Semana last weekend, Ferrer claimed that Alcocer had allegedly been linked to a network that used official aircraft for illegal activities. Among her allegations was the supposed transportation of drugs to Venezuela, followed by the transfer of US$2.5 million in cash to Colombia.
She also made allegations involving arms trafficking and people in the former first lady’s inner circle. Ferrer was Alcocer’s friend and adviser until 2023, when their relationship began to deteriorate.
Beyond her work as a presidential adviser for Reconciliation during Petro’s administration, the Spaniard had always been described as someone close to Alcocer. That relationship lends weight to her statements, as she claims to have had direct access to the then-first lady’s inner circle.
Meanwhile, the Inspector General’s Office ordered the collection of information on Tuesday to clarify possible irregularities involving official flights and determine whether public resources were improperly used or government officials bore any responsibility.
On this matter, Ferrer’s lawyer clarified that the investigations were not prompted by the article published Saturday by Semana magazine, but by the audio recording leaked in August containing similar allegations.
Finally, Batalla said his client would be willing to testify before the Attorney General’s Office remotely or return to Colombia if she were guaranteed security that, he stressed, “must be permanent.” He said she had received death threats since her interview was published four days ago.
Alcocer denies allegations and requests information from prosecutors
Alcocer, for her part, responded Wednesday by formally asking the Attorney General’s Office for information about the proceedings related to Ferrer’s statements. The former first lady rejected the allegations and said her trips to Venezuela took place on two occasions in 2023 as part of official visits.
According to her account, institutional agendas, records, and available audiovisual material would make it possible to verify the purpose of those trips, about which Batalla said the United States has detailed information.
This is the second time Alcocer has approached the Attorney General’s Office over the case. The first was two months ago, when the former first lady filed a complaint over recordings attributed to Ferrer that were allegedly made illegally. The latest allegations, however, have once again placed the former first lady’s role during Petro’s administration under scrutiny and raised questions about the possible misuse of state resources.
The former president has also rejected Ferrer’s claims, describing them as slander and questioning the credibility of the allegations. He has also announced legal action against the owner of Semana magazine.
Ante las informaciones divulgadas recientemente, he acudido nuevamente a la Fiscalía General de la Nación para reiterar mi disposición de colaborar con la justicia y solicitar detalle sobre las actuaciones anunciadas públicamente.
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— Verónica Alcocer García (@Veronicalcocerg) October 14, 2026
The US is following the case, but no public evidence of the alleged crimes has emerged
The controversy also has an international dimension given the background of the measures taken by the United States against Alcocer. Her inclusion on the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions list predates Ferrer’s recent statements and is related to allegations of providing financial or material support to Petro.
It should be noted, however, that this designation does not, at this point, establish that the specific crimes described by the former adviser were committed, as an investigation into the allegations is only now beginning in Colombia.
Although Washington has indicated that it is aware of the allegations, no evidence has been made public so far confirming the alleged drug trafficking, arms trafficking, or transfer of money between Colombia and Venezuela. Nor have U.S. authorities publicly announced that they have opened a criminal investigation specifically based on these new allegations.
For now, the case’s progress will depend on the actions of the Colombian justice system and on Ferrer providing material that can be independently verified. Any potential cooperation with the United States will depend on a formal request and the involvement of the relevant authorities.
