BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AP) — The Egmont Group, an international consortium dedicated to combating money laundering, announced on Monday the suspension of Colombia’s access to its global information sharing platform. This action follows President Gustavo Petro’s disclosure of confidential information obtained from the group, which raised concerns regarding data security.
In a statement, the Egmont Group confirmed that the Colombian government would no longer have access to its secure web portal used for sharing data on financial crimes, which is available to 177 member countries. The suspension will remain in place while the group conducts a thorough investigation into the matter.
Earlier this month, President Petro publicly revealed information from a document sourced through the Egmont Group, indicating that Colombia’s previous government, led by conservative President Iván Duque, had paid an Israeli firm $11 million in cash in 2021 for the acquisition of Pegasus spyware. This revelation came during a nationally broadcast address where many anticipated discussion on an ongoing truckers’ strike.
Petro claimed that the spyware was employed by Duque’s administration to surveil activists and members of left-leaning parties, including Petro himself. Officials from Duque’s administration have refuted these allegations.
Pegasus is a sophisticated surveillance tool capable of extracting data from mobile phones without detection, as well as controlling devices’ cameras and microphones. Developed by an Israeli company, the software has reportedly been used to target over 50,000 politicians, journalists, and human rights defenders across various governments, according to a 2021 report from Amnesty International and a coalition of 18 media organizations.
Security experts have expressed concern that Colombia’s exclusion from the Egmont Group’s information sharing platform undermines the country’s ability to identify illegal transactions linked to drug trafficking and organized crime.
In response to the suspension, Petro defended his choice to declassify the sensitive information, stating that it was a necessary action to uphold national interests. “This is the price of truth,” Petro conveyed in a message on X, asserting that Colombians are now aware of how his predecessor financed the purchase of Pegasus.
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