Colombian President Accidentally Reveals Nudist Club Fees, Releases Bank Reports in Transparency Effort

The leftist leader wants to defend himself against drug trafficking and money laundering charges targeting him.

Gustavo Petro has come under fire from critics. The leftist leader released his bank statements this week to defend himself against drug trafficking and money laundering charges targeting him, but these documents revealed a $50 payment at a strip club in Lisbon, during an official trip in May 2023, enough to raise the ire of women’s rights organizations.

“How is it possible that we have a sexual exploitation crisis in Colombia and at the same time have a president who frequents such places?”asked Sara Jaramillo, from the Medellin Abolitionist Network which campaigns for the elimination of sex work which it considers a form of exploitation, Thursday, November 20. “There are two things I have learned in life : not sleeping with women I don’t feel anything about, and not paying for sex while I’m still capable of seduction”, the leader replied to X.

This response only added to the anger on social media. A Colombian court once ordered the president to apologize for his comments “stigmatization” towards women. Specifically, he has described journalists as follows “mafia puppet”. Gustavo Petro added to X that he would explain “A day” why she was at a strip club in Portugal. “For now, what I want is for everyone who checks my account to see the abuses committed against Colombia.”the president added, referring to United States sanctions.

Longtime allies Washington and Bogota’s diplomatic relations have deteriorated since Donald Trump took office for a second term in January. The American President accuses Gustavo Petro without evidence a “drug lord” and decertifying Colombia as an ally in the fight against drug trafficking. The Colombian leader and his relatives are also subject to financial sanctions from the US Treasury Department.