The president of Colombia’s Supreme Court, Mauricio Lenis, promised on Friday 6 November 2026 that the court will act independently in a criminal case involving former President Gustavo Petro. He spoke at a ceremony marking 41 years since the 1985 attack on the Palace of Justice, the court’s home in Bogotá.
For US readers, the case tests whether Colombia’s courts can handle a scandal around the country’s last president without political pressure, while Petro remains on a US Treasury sanctions list, where he was added in October 2025. It also shapes how investors judge Colombia’s institutions under the new conservative government of President Abelardo de la Espriella.
What the Court President Said
Lenis said the Supreme Court would act with independence in the investigation into Petro and Pizarro, a former senator and close ally of Petro. He spoke on the anniversary of the siege of the Palace of Justice, in which M-19 guerrillas seized the building in November 1985 and dozens of people, including Supreme Court justices, died.
The ceremony at the Palace of Justice plaza brought together Colombia’s high courts and the families of the victims. The Supreme Court is the highest court for ordinary criminal cases.
Plaza de Bolívar in Bogotá, with the Palace of Justice at left and the cathedral at right. File photo. photo. Plaza de Bolívar in Bogotá with the Palacio de Justicia, the cathedral and Monserrate hill, Colombia, 2011. Photo: Baiji, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.What the Case Is About
The court’s Investigative Chamber, which handles cases against members of Congress, admitted a complaint for study against Petro and Pizarro. It rests on statements by Deicy Jiménez, a woman who says contracts and jobs were offered in exchange for sexual favours.
Jiménez says she joined Pizarro’s legislative staff on Petro’s recommendation and received a contract with Pizarro’s legislative unit. The complaint concerns the period when Petro was a member of Congress, and Justice Javier Fernando Fonseca is in charge of the file.
Denials and Pressure
Petro has denied the accusations, and Pizarro has rejected them. The Ombudsman, Iris Marín, a state official who defends citizens’ rights, wrote to the court on 27 October asking it to give the case priority and to protect the witnesses.
Admitting a complaint for study does not mean anyone has been found responsible. Jiménez was summoned to testify as a witness on Thursday 29 October, and our earlier report covers the court’s order to inspect Senate records.
What Prediction Markets Say
Polymarket, a crypto-based prediction market, shows a 9.0% chance that Petro is charged in the United States by 31 December 2026 (6 November, 1:46 p.m. ET). About US$12,000 has been traded on the 31 December contract, and about US$102,000 across all the event’s deadlines; the prices are bets, not polls.
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
What It Means for You
If you invest in Colombian bonds or stocks, you may watch this case as a test of how smoothly institutions work during a change of government. The court has announced no charges, so there is no direct market effect so far.
Travellers and US companies operating in Colombia need not change plans, since the case does not change visas or business rules. Our report on Petro’s denial gives the other side of the story.
What Is Not Known
It is not known whether the court will open a formal investigation or call Petro or Pizarro to give statements. No timetable has been announced.
It is also unclear how much written evidence the court holds beyond Jiménez’s account. The Supreme Court has not published findings, and the accusations remain unproven.
More: Colombia news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Did Colombia’s Supreme Court President Say About the Petro Case?
Mauricio Lenis said the court will act independently in the investigation of Gustavo Petro and María José Pizarro. He spoke at the 41st anniversary of the 1985 Palace of Justice siege.
What Is the Case Against Petro and Pizarro?
A court chamber is studying a complaint based on Deicy Jiménez’s claim that contracts and jobs were offered for sexual favours. Petro denies it, and nothing has been proven.
Who Is Mauricio Lenis?
He is the president of Colombia’s Supreme Court, elected to lead it for 2026. The court tries members of Congress and rules on major criminal cases.
Has Anyone Been Charged?
No. The court has only admitted the complaint for study, and it has not announced charges or findings.
Sources: Supreme Court of Justice of Colombia, remarks by President Mauricio Lenis, 6 November 2026; Ombudsman of Colombia, letter to the Supreme Court Investigative Chamber, 27 October 2026; Polymarket, Will Gustavo Petro be charged in the US by, 6 November 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI ·