"I dedicated myself to serving Mexico": Peña Nieto responds to the Pegasus scandal

In a rare development since leaving office, Enrique Peña Nieto reappeared publicly to respond to recent accusations linking him to an alleged $25 million bribe in the context of the Pegasus software sale. The former president described the reports published by the Israeli outlet The Marker as "totally false," sparking a wave of speculation in national and international media.

From his account on X —formerly Twitter— and in an interview with journalist Ciro Gómez Leyva, EPN assured that these accusations are nothing more than an attempt to damage his image:

"I can affirm that I dedicated myself as President of the Republic to serving Mexico."

The trigger was a report published on July 4 by The Marker, which included court statements from Israeli businessmen Avishai Neriah and Uri Ansbacher. Both claim to have given $25 million to an official identified as "N" between 2012 and 2018, a period coinciding with Peña Nieto's term.

Although the former president's name does not appear explicitly in the court documents, Mexican media outlets such as Proceso and Aristegui Noticias immediately linked him to the case, suggesting that the money could have financed his presidential campaign or led to government contracts for Pegasus.

Peña Nieto flatly denied these versions and criticized the lack of journalistic rigor:

"That national media outlets are linking me without any direct support is, to say the least, regrettable. At no point was I mentioned in the trial."

Pegasus is a spyware developed by NSO Group, an Israeli company with a history of government collaboration. The tool was purchased by the Mexican government during the Peña Nieto administration, ostensibly to combat organized crime. However, investigations revealed that it was used to spy on journalists, human rights activists, and opposition politicians.

One of the most notorious cases was the spying on Carmen Aristegui, her minor son, and journalist Cecilio Pineda, who was murdered in 2017 shortly after his number appeared on the list of possible targets.

The scandal erupted globally in 2021 through the collaboration of the Forbidden Stories consortium and Amnesty International, and Pegasus has since become synonymous with illegal political surveillance.

Regarding the possibility of a new criminal investigation being opened against him, Peña Nieto responded calmly:

“One more. It's not the first. I'm convinced that everything I did was within the legal framework.”

He also clarified that he has not been involved in any direct contract allocations during his six-year term and that his name may appear in legal documents as an administrative reference, but this does not imply direct involvement:

"I governed a country. My name, as an institutional figure, may be cited in many trials. That doesn't make me an actor."

Enrique Peña Nieto has lived outside the country for years, although he hasn't specified his exact location. Despite the media hype, he expressed his desire to return to Mexico at some point:

"It would be optimal to normalize the living of former presidents in Mexico. Their presence shouldn't imply political participation. If I return, it will be for my family."

His stance sets him apart from other former presidents who have faced judicial and media investigations after leaving office.

Although there is no official investigation yet open in Mexico against Peña Nieto in the Pegasus case, the statements contained in the Israeli report have rekindled media and public interest in his administration. The former president maintains his innocence and denounces a campaign to damage his image, while the case remains under international scrutiny.