Colombia's Petro Calls for Pegasus Spyware Investigation

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has called for an investigation into the $11 million purchase of Pegasus spyware by the previous administration, which he alleges may have been used to surveil opposition politicians. During a televised address, Petro questioned the legality of the cash transaction and how such a large sum could leave the country without proper documentation. He cited a report from the Information and Analysis Unit (UIAF) that detailed the cash payments made to Israeli firm NSO, highlighting the timing of the purchase with the last presidential elections and ongoing social protests. The president emphasized the need to uncover whether he or other politicians were targeted and demanded the relevant documentation and the spyware be turned over to the attorney general’s office for further investigation. Pegasus spyware has a notorious history of being used to hack the phones of journalists, civil society members, and political opposition worldwide. Petro insists that it is crucial to ensure citizens' rights are protected and to determine if this transaction constitutes state-sanctioned surveillance.