Colombian President Petro under fire - records revealed visit to strip club in Lisbon

(Patria) - Colombian President Gustavo Petro this week published his bank statements to refute Washington's accusations of financial crime, but found himself in trouble at home after records revealed a visit to a strip club, AFP reported.

Petro is targeted by US sanctions, accused of drug trafficking and money laundering in a long-standing war of words with US President Donald Trump. Earlier this week, Petro opened his financial transactions to the public.

The transactions revealed a payment of fifty dollars at a strip club in Portugal during an official trip in May 2023, sparking outrage from Colombian women's rights groups.

"How is it possible that we have a sexual exploitation crisis in Colombia, and at the same time a president who visits such places?" asked Sara Jaramillo from the Abolition Network in Medellin, which advocates for the elimination of exploitative sexual work.

Petro's response to the criticism caused even more anger on social media.
"I learned two things in life: Not to sleep with a woman towards whom I feel nothing in my heart and not to buy sex when I am still capable of seduction," the president wrote on social network X.

Colombian courts have previously ordered the president to apologize for "stigmatizing" comments against women after calling critical journalists "mafia dolls" in one of the most dangerous countries for journalists in South America.

Historic allies, Washington and Bogota, have witnessed a deterioration of diplomatic relations since Trump took office for his second term in January.

He accused the first leftist leader of Colombia, without evidence, of being an "illegal drug leader" and revoked Colombia's certification as an ally in the fight against drug trafficking.

Petro stated on X that he would explain "one day" why he was at the Menage strip club in Lisbon.

During the trip, he also visited Belem Palace to meet with Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

"For now, all I want is for everyone who reviews my statements to see the arbitrariness that is being done against Colombia," he said about the US actions.