A Colombian executive admitted that, in several deliveries and in sealed envelopes, he ended up receiving about $ 10,000 in cash – about 30 million pesos – from a Russian citizen who initially presented himself as a government business adviser to the powerful Vladimir Putin.
He no longer remembers his Russian addressed him in an academic or economic forum but, little by little, he approached him through casual encounters and invitations to restaurants and meetings, where the Muscovite was an influential man and wealthy.
(We invite you to read: The secret dossier of the Russian espionage plot in Colombia)
But the supposed business advisor he ended up being one of the two spies that the Colombian government expelled, on December 8, in an unprecedented diplomatic decision which further strained relations with the Kremlin, damaged by its public and military support for the dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro.
The Duke government accused the two Russians – Alexander Paristov and Alexander Belousov – of buying information on strategic issues in the country: mineral resources, electricity networks, oil infrastructure and hydroelectric power plants.
(Read also: Informant reveals interest of Russian spies in Ecopetrol)
TIME established that British and American agents alerted that Paristov and Belousov were extracting information through encrypted messages.
Russian spies were expelled from Colombia on December 8. But the case was only known when his government decided to expel members of the Colombian embassy in Moscow.
“We have been tracking this type of unusual activity since 2017. But the government decided to proceed when it was confirmed that it was not an isolated incident but a systematic and sustainable work carried out by staff arriving at the Russian embassy with the credentials of diplomat, but with intelligence training, “a Colombian official told the newspaper.
In fact, it is now being verified with U.S. agencies whether Belousov, one of those expelled, is the same spy that the Obama administration removed – in late 2016 – along with 34 others, for Russia’s alleged interference in that country’s presidential election .
(In context: The trail of Alex Saab in Venezuelan espionage in Colombia)
At that time there was talk of the participation of these citizens in “malicious cyber activities.”
Since 2017 we have been tracking this type of unusual activity. But the Government decided to proceed when it was confirmed that these were not isolated facts
Under similar suspicion, Russian diplomatic personnel from Bulgaria, Austria, Norway, Slovakia and the Czech Republic were also expelled this year. But the strategy in Colombia, which Russia flatly denies, is another.
It is estimated that about 23 members of the diplomatic corps stationed in Bogota, who joined since mid-2016, had atypical profiles. Foreign agencies helped verify that they were linked to the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) and the Central Intelligence Department (GRU).
(Read also: The secret dossier of the Russian espionage plot in Colombia).
They gradually built up a solid and paid network of informants, in public and private companies, especially in multinationals that provide services to Ecopetrol.
The reason: as revealed by TIME, Russia dominates the gas market in Europe, a political-economic strength that would diminish if oil companies, such as the Colombian, raid locally into fracking (Hydraulic fracture to extract crude and gas). In fact, Ecopetrol is already exploiting crude oil and gas in the Permian Basin (Permian) in Texas, using this technique.
Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, and Ivan Duque, President of Colombia.
Michail Klimentyev and Maurice Dueñas / EFE
Political and military tracking
Official documents from the Trump administration point out that Russia has been deploying a strategy to boycott these projects. But interest in Colombia went further.
Some of the informants were contacted at Expomilitar, where the Russians handed out business cards with military ranks and even offered to sell modern weapons.
(In context: So fly powerful transnational mafia around the Registry)
They claimed to have access to military estates and key military offices. However, THE TIME established that, in addition to the National Intelligence Directorate (DNI), the Army had already detected the movements of the said spies.
This is one of the reports in the United States on Russian movements on the subject of gas and fracking.
These insisted on obtaining information from the energy and technology sector, but also investigated the political and military. TIME refrains from disclosing data, because the investigation is still ongoing.
However, President Iván Duc himself pointed out in the middle of the week that Colombia will not allow “any kind of interference, manipulation or intention that seeks to undermine the freedom of citizens when they go to the polls.” (In addition: Russia describes as unfounded the accusations of espionage of Colombia)
“When the Russians performing these tasks were moved from Bogota, they inherited the contacts and missions he came to,” said another officer who participated in the intelligence investigation, dubbed ‘Operation Enigma’.
And he added that they left no traceability in cell phone calls or WhatsApp or Signal messages: “They do everything with text messages that they then destroy or in personal encounters; like in the old guard of espionage.”
In addition, they handled a discreet, high-level security scheme that even forbade them from moving around some areas of Bogota and using TransMilenio.
The Venezuelan flight
The traffic of suspicious ‘diplomats’ was joined by an unusual increase in Russians in terms of tourism in Colombia.
Even the two expelled used to rent luxurious estates on the outskirts of Bogota and travel to Santa Marta, Cartagena and Barranquilla, supposedly in a restful attitude, to make new contacts.
(You may be interested in: Alex Saab’s trail in Venezuelan espionage in Colombia).
Interest in Colombia became visible last June 2, when Russia called for the approval of a humanitarian flight to take out its nationals, trapped by the pandemic.
Several things caught my eye. All were moved in a Venezuelan airline (Avior Airline), by three Venezuelan pilots and several of the 57 passengers stated that they were walking in cities that are not sold in international tourist packages: Nemocón, Doradal, La Vega, Zipaquirá, Girardot, Chía, Copacabana and Popayán.
Russia’s statement on espionage.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia
“And about a dozen, who were not traveling in groups, said they were sightseeing in Cordoba. It is possible that the interest is due to the fact that a Russian firm participated in the construction of the Urrao dam and still it does some kind of maintenance, ”an intelligence source explained.
(On the subject: Three members of Maduro’s fearsome police are arrested in Colombia)
The same official said it is not new for Colombia to be alert to unusual moves by other governments. And he recalled that Migration Colombia has expelled Cuban and Venezuelan citizens for espionage.
In addition, through good diplomatic trades, a generous donation from another government that wanted to give away ‘tablets’ and state-of-the-art computers to a group of regional leaders was curbed.
Alex Saab bragged about his alleged infiltration of Colombian officers. It records several incomes in Russia.
Archive / THE TIME
The Saab effect?
There is no comment on Venezuela’s participation in the Russian advance in Colombia. However, intelligence agents recalled that Alex Saab – the noted ringleader of Nicolas Maduro, imprisoned in Cape Verde – boasted of alleged infiltration of officers in Colombia.
“And Mr. Saab, like his current partner and younger children, has multiple incomes in Russia and financial movements to and from that country.“, Added a US anti-mafia agent.
So far, in addition to the expulsion of two members of Colombia’s diplomatic corps from Russia – in a mirror reaction – the government of Vladimir Putin has not taken any further action on Colombia’s remarks.
(Of interest: Maduro sends curious Christmas message to Cape Verde about Saab)
But some kind of coup, such as a cyber attack, is not ruled out, so the country is already shielding itself.
“And we take it for granted that the spy plant in Colombia will be gradually renewed. These are activities that Russia deploys in dozens of countries and ours – an ally of its archival rival, the United States – will not be the exception. “, pointed out one of the researchers listing ‘Operation Enigma II’.
The barrinquellero and his Italian partner, the model Camila Fabri, register several incomes in Russia.
Congress seeks explanations about the plot
Authorities told EL TEMPS that they are trying to verify whether one of the alleged Russian spies expelled is the same one who appears on the list of 35 that the Obama administration removed from the United States for interference in the 2016 elections.
In parallel, congressmen of the Second Senate Committee asked the Government to convene the Foreign Affairs Advisory Committee for this case. According to the chairman of the second commission, the conservative senator Juan Diego Gómez, in this scenario “one could review the way the relationship with the Russian Federation has been conducted so far and, from there, determine the way forward “.
Senator Antonio Sanguino (Green Party) said in a similar vein that Russia’s interest in the activities of the state-majority oil company Ecopetrol must be established. The government says it will not summon the advisory committee for now.
Putin’s government denies undue interference
On December 22, 14 days after the expulsion of the two Russian ‘diplomats’, Alfonso López Caballero, Colombia’s extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador to the Russian Federation, was summoned to the country’s Chancellery.
There, Putin government officials expressed protest against what they called “an unfounded decision by Colombia to expel two diplomats from the Russian embassy in Bogota.”
(In context: The powerful ‘Cuban factor’ in the regime of Nicolás Maduro)
As the diplomat was told, Bogota’s determination does not correspond to “the traditionally friendly and mutually respectful relations that exist between Russia and Colombia.” And he was informed that, in a mirror decision, this country was expelling two of the members of Colombia’s diplomatic mission.
The production of Ecopetrol in the Permian basin of the United States, through fracking, places it among the top 10 producing fields of the company.
President Iván Duque and the Chancellery said that, despite this incident, the “Colombia’s purpose is to maintain the good level that has traditionally marked diplomatic, trade and cooperation relations with the Russian Federation”.
It was later learned that the sanction fell on Leonardo González and Ana María Pinilla, who would be arriving in Colombia in the next few hours. The expulsion of Colombians – reported by La W radio – ended up highlighting the tense episode with the Putin government, which was to be revealed in early January by people gathered Colombians in Moscow.
(See here all the articles of the EL TEMPS Research Unit)
TIME has been investigating the issue for months. Even the discomfort over the landing of Russian citizens ‘with non-diplomatic profiles’ became known from the government of Juan Manuel Santos.
RESEARCH UNIT
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