Misión de Observación Electoral enciende alarmas por inédita injerencia extranjera y uso…

Following the 2026 Colombian presidential elections, the International Electoral Observation Mission raised concerns regarding unprecedented foreign interference and the uncontrolled application of artificial intelligence. Composed of over 130 members, the mission documented how these digital strategies were utilized for propaganda and media manipulation, creating significant challenges for the transparency of the democratic process.

What happened

The observation mission identified a deep and excessive reliance on artificial intelligence to influence public perception. Specifically, the report highlighted the creation and dissemination of deepfakes, alongside ultra-realistic video and audio montages. These synthetic materials were primarily leveraged to benefit the campaign of candidate Abelardo de la Espriella. According to the observers, these digital assets were often produced by sources of unknown origin, making it impossible to identify the intellectual or material authors behind the content.

In addition to the technological manipulation, the mission noted a lack of oversight regarding digital campaign management, which facilitated the spread of misinformation. The investigation also faced obstacles in tracking the financial resources behind these AI-driven efforts. Because the funding for these digital tools exists in a regulatory vacuum, the mission confirmed that tracing the money spent on such campaigns is currently impossible.

Beyond the digital tactics, the mission observed significant foreign interference, noting that several international leaders, including Javier Milei, Daniel Noboa, Santiago Peña, Nasry Asfura, and Donald Trump, publicly backed De la Espriella. The observation team remains in Colombia to monitor the official scrutiny process and intends to present a final report with recommendations for electoral reform in September.