Colombia’s president demands investigation into Pegasus spyware purchase
The president’s concerns reflect a broader pattern of governments leveraging spyware for undemocratic purposes and raise alarm about the potential misuse of power and resources.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has called for an investigation into the previous administration’s $11 million purchase of Pegasus spyware. He raised concerns that the spyware, known for hacking the phones of opposition figures and journalists, may have been used to target political opponents. Petro questioned how such a large sum of cash was transported to Israel to purchase this software designed to spy on private communications.
During a televised broadcast, Petro expressed concern about whether he or other politicians in Colombia were under surveillance, calling into question the legal justification for such actions. He has asked the Information and Analysis Unit (UIAF) and the police to provide relevant documents and hand over the software to the attorney general for a thorough investigation.
President Petro emphasised the need for transparency, stating that citizens must trust that the state respects their rights. He vowed to uncover the full details of the purchase and ensure accountability.
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