The Portuguese Mint and Official Printing Office (INCM) is unaware of the Colombian Public Prosecutor’s Office’s legal action seeking to annul the passport production agreement between the Colombian government and the INCM. The institution has stated it has not received any official notification or communication on the matter from competent authorities.
The Colombian Public Prosecutor has requested the Administrative Court of Cundinamarca to declare the absolute nullity of the state contract, signed on July 18 for over a thousand million pesos (approximately 221 million euros). The court is also asked to order the INCM to return any funds received for executing the agreement.
The prosecution argues that the Portuguese company’s contributions account for only 21% of the total contract value, failing to meet the legal requirement of a minimum 50% financing. Additionally, it highlights the lack of a competitive selection process.
In response to the action, Colombian President Gustavo Petro expressed his complete disassociation from the prosecutor on this matter via social media platform X, asserting the nation’s right to have its printer produce citizen identification documents. He emphasized that citizen data should not be managed by private companies and noted the new passport model ranks as the fourth best in quality worldwide.
Previously, the Prosecutor’s Office had initiated disciplinary investigations into possible irregularities with the new passport model’s implementation against Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio and former ministers Laura Sarabia and Luis Gilberto Murillo, as well as former presidential chief of staff Alfredo Saade.
The controversy began in 2023 when then-Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva suspended the longstanding contract with Thomas Greg & Sons due to alleged lack of competition in the latest bidding process. To replace this company, the Petro government signed a memorandum of understanding, followed by an agreement with Portugal and the National Printing Office, despite warnings of inadequate technical capability on the part of the latter.
The agreement between Lisbon and Bogotá, effective from September 1, 2025, stipulates the issuance of passports, travel documents, and visas over a ten-year period. The agreement highlights the expertise and international recognition of Portugal’s Mint and Printing Office, supported by international evaluations and accreditations. It also involves Portugal assisting in developing infrastructure for the Colombian Printing Office to take full control of passport issuance.
