Colombian President Gustavo Petro says he survived an assassination attempt Monday night, stating he spent hours at sea to evade a plot targeting his helicopter.

Petro claimed he was forced to divert from a planned landing on the Caribbean coast due to credible threats of gunfire, noting his children were on board.

The president attributed the attempt to drug traffickers, suggesting the plot aimed to disrupt a meeting with Donald Trump.

The incident comes ahead of the 2026 elections. Petro has previously criticized security forces for downplaying past threats, including the discovery of rocket launchers near the presidential palace and surface-to-air missiles intended for his aircraft.