President Gustavo Petro has ordered the immediate retirement of General Edwin Urrego, commander of the Cali police, after denouncing an alleged plot against him involving psychoactive substances in an official vehicle. The decision was formalized by Decree 0147 of February 11, 2026. Urrego denies any involvement and is willing to undergo technical tests.
President Gustavo Petro denounced on February 10, 2026, during a Council of Ministers in Córdoba, an alleged plot against him based on intelligence reports from the Dirección Nacional de Inteligencia. According to the president, the plan sought to introduce psychoactive substances into one of his official vehicles during a trip to the United States, aiming to sabotage a meeting in Washington with President Donald Trump.
The response was immediate: through Decree 0147 of February 11, 2026, the retirement of Brigadier General Edwin Masleider Urrego Pedraza from active service was ordered under “llamamiento a calificar servicios,” an administrative mechanism regulated by Article 145 of Decree 1212 of 1990. The general will remain on the payroll for three months, and the decision will be notified to the Dirección de Talento Humano de la Policía Nacional. The measure takes effect from its issuance date.
Urrego, who took over as commander of the Policía Metropolitana de Cali in December 2025 and has over 31 years of service, rejected the allegations in interviews with Blu Radio, Caracol Radio, and La FM on February 10 and 11. “The accusations do not correspond to reality,” he stated, expressing surprise and willingness for tests like the polygraph. He noted that he has not received formal evidence and will consider legal actions to defend his name, deeming the statements to have criminal implications. “He dedicated his career to serving the country,” he maintained.
This episode unfolds amid political tensions in Colombia, with legislative and presidential elections approaching in 2026.
