Rejection of President Gustavo Petro's statements regarding the transparency of the 2026 elections

Yesterday afternoon, the National Registry awarded the key contract for the 2026 elections. It will have a total value of more than 2.1 billion pesos and will cover aspects such as citizen registration, the delivery and distribution of electoral kits, monitoring of polling stations, and almost everything related to the elections, except for the management of biometrics, which is handled directly by the entity.

There were no surprises, as only one bidder came forward, the Unión Temporal Integración Logística Electoral 2026 , after nine others expressed interest but did not submit a final proposal. The award resolution, seen by EL TIEMPO, details that of the 2.1 trillion pesos, 144 billion are earmarked for the Municipal Youth Council elections this year, 1.2 billion for the Congressional elections, and 728 billion pesos for the presidential elections, both in 2026 .

Neither the contract process nor the actual process itself received any major comments from potential bidders or the oversight and monitoring bodies. However, for months, and with increasing intensity in recent hours, President Gustavo Petro has questioned the transparency of the electoral processes that will take place in 2026. This is because one of the companies involved in the winning joint venture is Thomas Greg & Sons , the same firm that manufactures Colombian passports and has been the target of attacks by the president during this administration. Furthermore, the joint venture is also made up of four other groups comprised of various companies and entities.

Petro's claims, which have not been supported by evidence in either the passport case or the Civil Registry case, have been rejected by multiple political, legal, and union sectors, which have warned of the implications of a president, who was also elected throughout his political career in processes in which Thomas also participated, calling into question the soundness of the electoral process. In fact, last year Petro asserted that the Venezuelan electoral system, completely dominated by Nicolás Maduro's regime, supposedly worked better than the Colombian one.

"Thomas and Greg's takeover of the electoral processes is the greatest danger to Colombian democracy," the head of state declared in 2024. And now the messages have become more pronounced, with some of the strongest being those he issued between Tuesday and yesterday.

“I distrust the transparency of the 2026 elections,” he said Tuesday night, and the following day, he reiterated his position in several messages. “Bringing in a company whose software was detected in electoral fraud, by none other than the Colombian justice system, completely jeopardizes electoral transparency,” he tweeted. In one, he even spoke of alleged physical fraud and even asserted that the company his opponents had despised was responsible for producing the national ID cards in the country, when this fabrication is the responsibility of the Registry Office.

The President's assertions were countered by several former national registrars, who were responsible for organizing elections in recent years. They assert that the selection of firms like Thomas Greg is based on compliance with requirements that are essential to the magnitude of the challenge of ensuring the functioning of a democracy whose potential voter base is close to 40 million citizens.

Juan Carlos Galindo, a former registrar on two occasions, highlighted the multinational's presence in a significant portion of the recent elections. "There's one very important issue: organizing the electoral process is a very complex process that requires a great deal of experience and support. It's not just about buying computers and printing. It involves multiple actions that require significant experience and knowledge. Thomas and the other companies have demonstrated that they have the knowledge and experience," he noted.

Galindo questioned the president's position and stated that he cannot question the processes in which the company has participated. He added that Petro's electoral victories in Congress, the Bogotá Mayor's Office, and the Presidency demonstrate that there are sufficient guarantees. "This is about delegitimizing the elections without any support, which is absolutely reprehensible. The international entities that have come to monitor the elections have highlighted their strengths. This is a state process involving many authorities, not just the Registry," Galindo emphasized.

For his part, Senate President Efraín Cepeda questioned the President's attempt to ignore the fact that the Registry Office is a constitutionally independent entity with proven positive results throughout history. "It's a widespread lack of respect. Petro won the presidential and mayoral elections with that same company. I have full confidence in the Registrar's decision and that they will hold excellent elections, because I know his qualities," he asserted in an interview with EL TIEMPO.

With that same company, Petro won the presidential elections and won the mayoral elections.

“Casting doubt on an entire electoral process without being specific about concerns surrounding specific issues is irresponsible. (...) Making general statements about the unreliability of the elections a year before they begin is inconsistent with the efforts made by a large number of institutions and political organizations to ensure a fair election,” declared Alejandra Barrios, director of the Electoral Observation Mission.

The unions joined in the rejection. “The Registry Office represents one of the greatest symbols of democracy, and it is incumbent upon all democrats to support its management. It is necessary to highlight and strengthen its development and objectivity, and to protect its position as guarantor of our country's elections,” said Bruce MacMaster, head of the Andi.

The Allies alliance also followed suit, but in a more direct manner. “When the head of state publicly questions the integrity of the electoral system, without evidence and from his position of power, one of the fundamental pillars of our democracy is violated: citizen trust in the rules of the game. This trust, which has cost us so much to build, cannot be weakened by political interests or short-term calculations,” they stated in a statement.

These sectors have reminded the head of state that the potential risks for next year are tied to the expansion of the power of violent groups amidst the "total peace." Therefore, they are asking the government to guarantee the safety of candidates and voters throughout the country.

With information from the Investigative Unit