Álvaro Leyva: “Anything can happen to a elected president, you can die”

Álvaro Leyva says that he continues to work so that Gustavo Petro does not finish his presidential period in 2026, although he does not consider it a coup d’etat. In an interview published this Saturday by the magazine Semana, Petro’s former chancellor states that there are formulas in the Constitution that allow “powers to talk to each other.” “The aspiration that I have is that it enters that scenario to save the Constitution, in a harmonious collaboration. And that, if the case, the case of Petro is studied. An evocation is made; then, they can speak with the president because he leads another branch. Then, dialogically, they go and say:“ Man, what happens to you? What problem does it have? “You can even say:” And why don’t you retire? “‘

Leyva, 82, was a great defender of the president during the first two years of government. He wanted to lead a national agreement and even a reform to the Constitution. Petro has assured that Leyva indicated “the way” to be re -elected. However, when leaving the government for an administrative sanction and losing direct thread with the president, Leyva became an enemy fierce. He published some letters in which he claimed without showing evidence that Petro was a drug addict, he was sick and did not attend to his responsibilities, so he was incapacitated to continue in office.

According to audios published by El País, backed by a journalistic investigation, after those letters Leyva wanted to force Petro’s departure. He spoke with “armed and unintended” actors, referring to the ELN and the Gulf clan. He implied, falsely, that France Márquez, the vice president, was on her side, and mentioned Vicky Dávila as another of the people who could be in her intentone, which Dávila has denied and has made him deny him in a phone call between the two that was recorded. The veteran politician also wanted to involve the White House to generate “an international pressure” to help Petro overthrow in “20 days”, but has never explained how that could be carried out.

Six days after revelation, Leyva has spoken long and lying on the subject. He does not deny that he has communicated with the armed actors or that he would like to add wills for Petro’s exit, only that is a coup d’etat. He says that he hosts neoconstitutionalism, a current with which it seeks to reinterpret and evolve constitutionalism. When Yesid Lancheros, the director of the magazine, asks him that if finishing the presidential period depends on Petro’s will, Leyva responds: “No. On the arguments presented to him. That is a dialogic constitutionalism.” Leyva insists again on the next response that this goes beyond the president’s desire: “It is wrong. That he does not accept it is something else.”

Leyva reiterates that it should not necessarily remain in power until August 7, 2026: “You can get sick, anything can happen to a elected president, you can die, for example. So what does that mean? What do you have to have the body until the last day of your mandate?” On the recordings, he argues that who has committed crime is the person who recorded it without his consent. He says he has an idea of ​​who he has been able to do it, but does not give any name in case they demand him for making that statement.

Petro’s lawyer has denounced Leyva this week in the Prosecutor’s Office, which has opened a process based on audios, investigation, politics’ messages and the statements that France Márquez will give to the authorities, as she requested herself. “It seems very funny to me. Seeing, betrayal of the homeland is when one divides the country or makes alliances with foreign governments affecting the nation. My behaviors are not typified. But not only that, they speak of a conspiracy. The conspiracy is a crime, but it requires a development with two more crimes: it is talking with other people about rebellion or sedition. And both the rebellion and the sedition are given if there are a porte of weapons. I incur sedition or betrayal of the homeland?

He suspects that Petro wants to remain in power beyond next year: “I believe that, perfectly, you can do everything necessary to stay. I could perfectly have that aspiration.” Leyva, finally, says that he has not thought of going from Colombia or looking for asylum following these revelations: “I aspire to lower the sepulcher.”