An investigation by the Network for Digital Rights (R3D), Aristegui Noticias, Proceso and Animal Politico produced information indicating that the Pegasus spy program has continued to operate in Mexico during the six-year term of office of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO). It should be remembered that this malware is supposedly only sold to governments to chase terrorism and criminals; however, in the case of Mexico, its use has been detected since 2017 to monitor human rights defenders, journalists and citizens. The most recent investigation details that the phones of at least three journalists and human rights defenders were spied on with Pegasus between 2019 and 2021; this despite the fact that the President repeatedly promised that his government would no longer use this system.
It should be noted that those spied on are people who carry out investigations into human rights violations by the Army; while the investigation reveals that SEDENA is the body that established a contract that it entered into in 2019 with the company Comercializadora Antsua, which had the exclusive representation of the Israeli company NSO Group to sell Pegasus in Mexico. This fact has been hidden by SEDENA despite repeated requests for information and questions at the morning presidential press conference.
Two days after the presentation of the report, AMLO declared that “I have been reading about this complaint and the truth is that there is no basis. We would have no reason to, in addition to being improper, contrary to our principles, our convictions, we who have been spied on for years, persecuted, could not do the same.” He added that, “I made a commitment that no one was going to be spied on, no opponent, so if they have evidence, let them present it. I have been reading about this complaint and the truth is that there is no basis; we would have no reason to.”
For more information in Spanish:
Pese a pruebas, AMLO niega espionaje desde Sedena con Pegasus y minimiza hechos (Proceso, 4 de octubre de 2022)
Ejército Espía, investigación completa (R3d, 3 de octubre de 2022)
Periodistas y activistas exigen a FGR esclarecer espionaje con Pegasus hecho por Sedena (Proceso, 3 de octubre de 2022)
Denuncian ante FGR casos de Pegasus en el sexenio de AMLO (Aristegui Noticias, 3 de octubre de 2022)
Organizaciones acusan al Gobierno de AMLO de espiar a periodistas y activista con el software Pegasus (CNN, 3 de octubre de 2022)
El Ejército mexicano compró en 2019 Pegasus para espiar a activistas y periodistas (El País, 2 de octubre de 2022)
For more information from SIPAZ:
Nacional: continúan investigaciones vinculadas al caso Pegasus (26 de julio de 2021)
Nacional: Denuncian otro ciberataque de espionaje por malware Pegasus a periodistas y activistas mexicanos (31 de octubre de 2019)
Nacional: Citizen Lab revela intento de hackeo con Pegasus a colegas de periodista asesinato (28 de noviembre de 2018)
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