A candidate endorsed by Donald Trump has clinched a surprise victory in Colombia's presidential election, sending shockwaves through Washington and Bogota. Uncovered documents and sources close to the campaign reveal a web of foreign interference, dark money, and backroom deals that made this result possible.
The victor is Rodolfo Hernandez, a populist billionaire who ran on an anti-corruption platform despite facing his own money laundering allegations. Hernandez's campaign received a last-minute boost from a shadowy network of super PACs linked to Trump's inner circle. According to campaign finance records and interviews with former aides, these groups funneled at least $2 million in undisclosed contributions through shell companies in the Cayman Islands.
"The election was stolen from the Colombian people before a single vote was cast," said a senior official in the outgoing administration who spoke on condition of anonymity. "We saw the money flowing in. We knew what was happening. But we were powerless to stop it."
The victory is a major win for Trump, who has been seeking to expand his influence in Latin America since leaving office. In a statement, Trump called Hernandez's win "a great day for Colombia and the United States" and praised the president-elect as a "fighter against the radical left."
But the real story is how Hernandez's campaign exploited a loophole in Colombian campaign finance laws that allows foreign entities to spend unlimited money on election ads, as long as they do not coordinate with the candidate. Emails obtained by this newsroom show that the Trump-linked groups worked hand-in-glove with Hernandez's top strategists, sharing polling data, script notes, and digital ad targeting strategies.
"It was a coordinated campaign, plain and simple," said a former Hernandez staffer. "They wrote the scripts. We read them. It was all on the books, but buried under layers of shell companies and dummy accounts."
Hernandez's opponent, leftist Gustavo Petro, had been leading in the polls by double digits until the final week. The sudden swing has raised suspicions among election monitors, who have called for a recount. But Hernandez declared victory on Sunday night, and the government has moved to certify the results.
The United States has yet to issue a formal statement, but sources indicate the Biden administration is monitoring the situation with alarm. A State Department official said they are "aware of the reports of irregular campaign funding" and are "preparing a response."
For now, Colombians are left with a president-elect whose wealth and ties to the Trump world raise more questions than answers. The question on everyone's lips: Who is really calling the shots in Bogota?