Declassified US files reveal links of senior Colombian officials to drug trafficking during the governments of the 1970s and 1980s
The National Security Archive, a non-governmental organization made up of journalists and academics since 1985, has released a list that reveals alleged links between Colombian government officials from the 1970s and 1980s with drug trafficking.
According to these reports, the president of the United States at the time, Jimmy Carter, sought to put pressure on the López Michelsen government to combat corruption and drug trafficking. A State Department memorandum is mentioned that indicates “possible drug trafficking activities” related to Alfonso López Caballero, son of President López Michelsen, who held a diplomatic position.
However, the veracity of these documents is questioned, since in many cases only the accusations are mentioned without presenting concrete evidence. It is noted that in 1977, the CIA and the DEA delivered a dossier to López Michelsen, in which “ministry and judicial officials, military and security force personnel, and other high-level individuals” were linked to drug trafficking. .
Among the names mentioned in these files are General Abraham Varón Valencia, Minister of Labor Óscar Montoya Montoya, and Colonel Humberto Cardona Orozco, who was then in charge of Indumil.
The case of Julio César Turbay Ayala is also mentioned in these reports. A CBS report in 1978 pointed out his alleged ties to drug trafficking. Annotations made by former President Carter in the documents indicate that the United States decided not to send promised military helicopters to Colombia due to these accusations, which would have been strengthened during his administration with some officials.
The National Security Archive, known for publishing documents of national and international impact, continues to reveal relevant information. This declassified list sheds light on a turbulent period in the political history of Colombia and the United States, highlighting the complex relationship between both countries in the fight against drug trafficking.