Colombian President Gustavo Petro has leveled serious allegations against the previous administration, claiming that $11 million in cash was illegally sent to Israel to acquire the controversial Pegasus spyware. Petro revealed the existence of these funds during a nationally televised address, expressing shock and outrage over the secretive nature of the transactions.
The funds, Petro claimed, were split into two $5.5 million payments and flown out of Bogotá to Tel Aviv in 2021. These cash transfers, according to Petro, should have raised red flags in the Israeli financial system. However, they reportedly went unflagged, facilitating the purchase of Pegasus, a powerful surveillance tool that can intercept emails, phone calls, and activate the camera and microphone of infected devices without user interaction.
Pegasus, developed by the Israeli firm NSO Group, has been at the center of global controversy for its role in espionage. Though NSO Group insists the spyware is sold only to governments, Pegasus has been found on the devices of opposition leaders, civil rights activists, and journalists across the globe, sparking widespread concerns about its misuse. In Petro’s view, the software was likely used by the administration of his conservative predecessor, Ivan Duque, to spy on opposition politicians and other prominent figures, including members of his own campaign.
“How does $11 million leave the country in cash, on a plane, to buy software that spies on cell phones and private communications?” Petro questioned during his speech. He called the purchase an act of “money laundering from the state itself” and emphasized that no court order was issued for such an acquisition, as required by Colombia’s constitution.
The allegations come at a time of increasing scrutiny over the use of Pegasus spyware worldwide. Petro’s administration has requested a formal investigation by Colombia’s attorney general to determine who authorized the transactions, where the funds originated, and why they were excluded from the national budget.
These revelations mark the first official acknowledgment of Colombia’s acquisition of Pegasus, confirming earlier reports that the spyware had been shipped to the country via private jet. Though the Israeli press had previously reported the involvement of Colombian authorities, Petro’s statements have cast a spotlight on the extent of the operation and the possible legal violations committed by the Duque administration.
As of now, neither former President Duque nor his administration’s top officials have responded to the allegations, leaving many questions unanswered. What remains clear is that Petro’s government is committed to uncovering the truth behind these clandestine transactions, signaling a potential political and legal reckoning for those involved.
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