Former presidential adviser Eva Ferrer is preparing to travel to Washington next week to present allegations concerning former Colombian First Lady Verónica Alcocer to US authorities, potentially moving a politically-charged scandal beyond Colombia’s borders.
Ferrer, a Spanish-Colombian senior aide who worked closely with Alcocer during Gustavo Petro’s presidency, is expected to meet officials from the US Department of State on October 28, according to her lawyer. A meeting with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is also on the schedule, although the scope and status of any US inquiry have not been independently established.
The proposed visit follows statements Ferrer has made to Colombian investigative authorities concerning alleged drug trafficking, the movement of cash between Venezuela and Colombia, and the purported use of official aircraft for illicit purposes.
From presidential adviser to accuser
Ferrer’s proximity to the presidential household is central to the significance of her allegations. She was close to Petro’s political circle and became a trusted collaborator of Alcocer, with whom she later had a falling-out. Ferrer has since publicly described what she says she knows about people and activities surrounding the lavish lifestyle of the former first lady.
In an interview with SEMANA on October 10, Ferrer alleged that Alcocer had used an aircraft assigned to the First Lady to transport narcotics to Venezuela and bring money back to Colombia. Ferrer also claimed that approximately US$2.5 million was brought back from Venezuela in January 2023 in black duffle bags.
According to Ferrer, the information about the money came from Catalan businessman Manel Grau. Her claims about the alleged transportation of narcotics and the intended use of the money remain allegations that investigators both in Bogotá and Washington must independently verify.
Ferrer has also made accusations concerning people within Alcocer’s wider circle, including alleged links to arms trafficking.
Colombian authorities begin preliminary inquiries
The allegations have already triggered action by Colombia’s Procuraduría General de la Nación, which opened a preliminary disciplinary inquiry on October 13 into possible irregularities involving official aircraft and unidentified officials associated with the presidential administration and the Colombian Air Force.
The inquiry includes requests for flight records, passenger lists, itineraries, security procedures, photographs and video footage relating to Alcocer’s journeys to Venezuela between 2023 and 2026. Investigators are also examining records associated with a trip in January 2023.
The opening of a preliminary inquiry does not establish that a crime occurred or that Alcocer or any other individual is responsible. Its purpose is to determine whether the reported events took place and whether further proceedings are warranted.
Ferrer gave a statement remotely to the Procuraduría on October 15. She subsequently appeared before the Fiscalía General de la Nación on October 21 to provide testimony under oath.
However, the first session of her Fiscalía testimony ended without her submitting supporting evidence during that hearing, according to reporting by Caracol. The proceedings are expected to continue, giving Ferrer an opportunity to expand her account and present material supporting her allegations.
Evidence and the Washington visit
Ferrer and her lawyer have referred to recordings, photographs, documents and other material that they say could support her account. Her public allegations have also been accompanied by audio recordings reported by SEMANA.
The distinction between material disclosed publicly and evidence formally submitted to investigators remains important. The existence of recordings or photographs does not, by itself, establish the truth of the allegations they purport to support.
Ferrer’s proposed meetings in Washington could provide an additional avenue for presenting information to US officials. Her lawyer has said the intention is to share material relating to the allegations, but it remains unclear what documents will be provided, whether US authorities have initiated a formal investigation, or what action, if any, they might take.
The planned visit nevertheless gives the affair an international dimension, particularly because the allegations involve purported movements of narcotics and money across national borders.
Alcocer rejects the allegations
Alcocer has rejected Ferrer’s claims, describing their relationship as professional and denying that she transported $2.5 million from Venezuela. She has also disputed allegations concerning the use of official travel for illicit purposes.
Her legal representatives have sought to challenge the accusations, including through a report submitted to the Fiscalía concerning the January 2023 trip. The defence has pointed to travel records and audiovisual material as relevant to establishing what occurred.
The allegations therefore remain the subject of competing accounts, with investigators tasked with determining whether documentary, testimonial or other evidence supports either version.
For now, central questions remain unresolved: whether narcotics or undeclared cash were transported on a presidential aircraft and whether the verbal evidence against Alcocer will lead to criminal charges by the U.S Department of Justice.