Attorney General Discusses Evidence of Pegasus Presence in Colombia

Attorney General Luz Adriana Camargo (above photo), during an interview, confirmed that there was indeed a payment by the Colombian government to acquire the Pegasus spyware. She stated that she personally accessed a confidential document from Israel’s Financial Intelligence and Analysis Unit (UIAF), which provides clear evidence of the payment.

Camargo also added that: “According to the information in that document, the suspicious transaction alert indicates that the money arrives in cash, in U.S. dollars. It is certain because there is a currency exchange form that records the entry of the money into Israel. However, as stated by the official, Pegasus has yet to be found in any Colombian entity.”

The current Minister of Defense, Iván Velásquez, held a press conference and indicated that any equipment containing Pegasus may have been destroyed to erase any trace of this spyware.

Diplomatic Break with Israel Has Complicated the Investigation

The Attorney General explained that the diplomatic break between Colombia and Israel has complicated the progress of investigations, making it challenging to “conduct verifications.” She also added that: “For instance, things we could have done directly with the Colombian embassy in Israel are no longer possible. We could have obtained statements from NSO by traveling to Tel Aviv, but the embassy is closed because we no longer have relations,”.

However, the government says that the Ministry of Defense will send a team to Israel to further investigate this situation.

Controversy Among Government Figures

The Inspector General of Colombia, Margarita Cabello, had denied that the Pegasus program was purchased under the administration of Iván Duque. She stated, “We have conducted two investigations: one following complaints from magistrates of the high courts, and another after the presidential address. As of today, we can tell you that there are no official traces of the program’s existence.”

Nevertheless, President Petro cited an article published by RTVC (Public Media System) allegedly confirming connections between the Inspector General’s office and a figure implicated in the Pegasus purchase. In his tweet, the president stated:

“Dismissing information that reveals the connection between the Colombian far-right and the complete breakdown of democracy, while employing someone in her office who should be thoroughly investigated for overseeing Dipol at the time of the Pegasus transaction, is clear proof that in Colombia we haven’t had oversight bodies working for the people.”

The RTVC article cited by Gustavo Petro is no longer available on the media outlet’s website.