In a development that threatens to destabilise an already fragile region, Ecuador has been accused of interfering in Colombia’s presidential election. Sources close to the Colombian intelligence services have confirmed that a covert operation, allegedly funded by Quito, sought to manipulate voter sentiment in favour of a fringe candidate. The UK Foreign Office, in an unusually forceful statement, has called for 'full transparency and democratic accountability' from both nations.
The allegations centre on a series of unauthorised payments routed through a shell company based in Panama. Documents obtained by this paper show transfers totalling $2.3 million from an account linked to Ecuador’s state-owned oil company, Petroecuador, to a marketing firm in Bogotá. That firm is known to have run a social media campaign targeting younger voters with false narratives about the incumbent candidate’s health.
A former Colombian intelligence analyst, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the operation as 'textbook hybrid warfare'. He said: 'They didn’t need to hack voting machines. They just needed to move the needle by 2 or 3 per cent in key demographics. That’s enough to tip a tight race.' Colombia’s interior minister confirmed to reporters that an investigation is under way, but declined to specify whether formal diplomatic protests had been lodged.
Ecuador’s president has dismissed the claims as 'baseless smear tactics' designed to distract from his own country’s economic troubles. However, a leaked internal memo from Ecuador’s foreign ministry, seen by this journalist, suggests otherwise. The memo, dated just weeks before the first round of voting, outlines a strategy to 'destabilise the Colombian political establishment by exploiting existing fault lines'. It references a budget line for 'special operations' that aligns with the amount channelled through the Panamanian shell.
The UK’s intervention is noteworthy not merely for its timing but for its target. Britain has historically been reluctant to call out foreign electoral interference, especially by middle-income countries in Latin America. But the language used by the Foreign Office is unambiguous: 'Any attempt to undermine democratic processes is unacceptable. We urge the governments of Colombia and Ecuador to cooperate fully with international observers and to ensure that the will of the Colombian people is not subverted.'
Behind the scenes, diplomatic sources indicate that the UK is seeking to coordinate a joint statement with the United States and the European Union. Washington has so far remained silent, possibly because of the current administration’s focus on domestic crises. But that silence may not hold. A senior State Department official, speaking off the record, described the allegations as 'deeply concerning' and said that 'all options are on the table' if evidence of state-backed interference is found.
The money trail itself is a tangle of intermediaries and cut-outs. The marketing firm in Bogotá has a history of working with political clients across the region, including several controversial figures. Its director, a Venezuelan-born consultant, previously faced allegations of running a similar disinformation campaign in Ecuador’s own 2021 election. Those allegations were never proven, but the pattern raises questions: was this a repeat performance, only this time on foreign soil?
For now, Colombia’s election commission says it is reviewing the evidence. But the damage may already be done. Polarisation in Colombia is at its highest in years, and distrust in institutions runs deep. If the accusations are confirmed, it will not only strain bilateral relations but also embolden other governments in the region to consider similar interference as a legitimate tool of statecraft. The UK’s call for accountability is a start, but as anyone who follows the money knows, accountability has a price. And it’s rarely paid by those who sign the cheques.
