Former Colombian President Andrés Pastrana is being held at Luanda Airport in Angola.
Pastrana traveled to the African country alongside other former heads of state and political figures to attend an international conference on democracy, according to Caracol Radio. However, local authorities have yet to clarify his situation, raising uncertainty about the reasons for his detention.
A esta hora me encuentro retenido en el aeropuerto de Luanda, por el gobierno de Angola, el cual bloquea la entrada de un grupo de políticos africanos invitados por la Fundación Brenthurst @BrenthurstF y la Internacional Demócrata de Centro (IDC-CDI), organización global que…
— Andrés Pastrana A (@AndresPastrana_) March 13, 2025
According to the media outlet, Pastrana himself confirmed his status from the airport, where he remains awaiting a resolution. Although no official explanation has been given for his detention, the incident has drawn attention due to the prominence of the event’s attendees, who represent various countries and political sectors.
“They have me locked in a small room, but I have no idea why. No one tells me anything or explains why they won’t let me go,” the former president told Semana in an interview.
The incident took place on Thursday, March 13, when Pastrana, who also serves as president of the International Democrat Union, attempted to board a flight to Benguela, another city in Angola. “I was here the whole time, but when I was about to take the flight to Benguela, they wouldn’t let me proceed,” he explained in a conversation with the Colombian media outlet.
The former president emphasized that his visit was intended to participate in the international conference organized by the opposition group Unite for Liberty and Dignity in Angola. However, he has yet to receive any official explanation for his detention. “I’ve been standing in front of Immigration for an hour, and they’re not saying anything. I’ll wait and see what happens,” Pastrana stated.
The lack of clarity surrounding his detention has raised concerns, particularly given the political nature of the event, which brought together various African leaders to discuss the challenges of global democracy.
Meanwhile, Caracol Radio also reported on Pastrana’s situation and confirmed direct contact with him. The station noted that Pastrana remains “waiting for his status to be defined” and that Angolan authorities have yet to provide any official reasons for his detention. So far, the Angolan government has not issued a formal statement on the matter.
On the diplomatic front, the Colombian Foreign Ministry is expected to release a statement in the coming hours to inform the public about the situation. However, it remains unclear whether the Colombian government has taken any specific actions to clarify the former president’s status.
Pastrana reiterated to Semana that his trip was aimed at attending a meeting with other international leaders. “I am the president of the International Democrat Union and came to a meeting organized by Unite for Liberty and Dignity, which is an opposition party,” he explained.
The incident has also been reported on social media. An account on X (formerly Twitter) advocating for civil and political rights in Mozambique denounced the detention of Pastrana and Angolan opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane. In a post, it stated: “There is no democracy in Angola! Opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane and the former presidents of Botswana and Colombia were detained upon arrival in Luanda. A blatant attempt to silence the opposition and suppress political freedom!”
Shortly after, the same account reported that Mondlane had been released, but there was no news on the Colombian politician. “Good news! Venâncio Mondlane and his team are now free to travel within Angola!” the post announced.
