Colombia’s Pegasus Mystery: When Power Starts Watching Its Own
Key Points
- Two ministers say Pegasus infected their phones, suggesting espionage from inside the state.
- Defense leaders deny owning Pegasus, while police and prosecutors chase competing accounts.
- A disputed 2021 purchase trail resurfaces, because custody decides responsibility.
It began with glitches that felt deliberate. Justice Minister Andrés Idárraga says his iPhone kept losing internet. He says WhatsApp showed read messages as “new” again. He also reported physical surveillance near his routines and family.
Idárraga ordered forensic checks and says they pointed to Pegasus, the Israeli spyware. He briefed President Gustavo Petro in mid-December and said he would go public.
The figures described around the intrusion are striking. Idárraga said his device faced peaks of up to 3,000 attack attempts per day. The forensic work described 2.3 gigabytes taken from the phone.
That amount was compared to about 500,000 emails with attachments. He says the exposure included corruption tips, sensitive government discussions, and private family information.
Pegasus Use Sparks Colombia Security Concerns
Idárraga initially suggested military counterintelligence structures were involved, using reserved spending. Then Interior Minister Armando Benedetti made a similar claim.
He said Pegasus appeared on his phones too. He asked whether agencies hold the tool, or individuals inside the state are using it off the books.
Petro ordered police to map the scope of infections. Prosecutors are also involved. Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez, a retired general, has denied that the armed forces or police possess Pegasus.
He has questioned a document cited in the dispute, with military sources calling it false. The argument revives an older procurement story.
Petro previously said Pegasus entered Colombia in 2021, during the Duque administration, and linked the purchase to the national police. He also said U.S.-origin funds were involved.
Separate reporting described an $11 million cash transaction tied to the acquisition. What remains unclear is who kept control, and whether access was renewed.
This matters beyond Colombia because Pegasus is a state-grade weapon. If custody is murky, internal rivalries can become national-security breaches.
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