Friday, January 16, 2015

Peruvian Government Denies Spying on Opponents

1/16/2015

LIMA – Prime Minister Ana Jara denied Thursday that the Peruvian government engages in illegal surveillance of political opponents, as reported by Correo Semanal.

The weekly published a series of photos and documents pertaining to foes of President Ollanta Humala’s government and said the materials were assembled by intelligence agencies.

Jara said on Twitter that the Humala administration does not spy on opposition figures.

“Contrary to what happened in the past, we live now under the Rule of Law!” Jara wrote. “There are NO guidelines nor room for practices (espionage) proscribed in a democracy.”

The photos published by Correo Semanal include images of former Cabinet ministers Jorge del Castillo and Miguel Hidalgo – members of the administration of Humala’s predecessor, Alan Garcia – and of businessman Jaime Mur, who last year publicly accused Energy Minister Eleodoro Mayorga of a conflict of interest.

The reports and photos reflect “very extended surveillance whose fundamental aim is learn the weak points of political enemies to discredit and silence them,” an unnamed source told the weekly.

Correo Semanal said the photos and documents went to the DINI intelligence agency, which reports to the president’s office, and to the National Police intelligence unit.

The weekly’s editor, Ivan Slocovich, told RPP Radio that surveillance of Humala opponents occurred over the last year and included videos accompanied by texts and notes with “assessments, reports and conclusions.”

Interior Minister Daniel Urresti and his counterpart at the Defense Ministry, Pedro Cateriano, used Twitter to dismiss the documents as “fabrications” by Garcia’s APRA party.

The two officials recalled that both of Garcia’s two presidential terms, 1985-2000 and 2006-2011, were marred by proven cases of political espionage.


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