Spanish authorities have found a “Pegasus” spy on the cellphones of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Defense Minister Margarita Robles, a minister in the presidency, Felix Bolanos, said on Monday. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s cellphone was broken twice in May 2021, and Defense Minister Margarita Robles’ device was targeted once a month, Minister in the Presidency Félix Bolaños said at a press conference on Monday.
Bolanos told a news conference that Sanchez’s call was transmitted in May 2021 and at least one data leak occurred at that time. He did not say who would launch the prime minister or suspect foreign or Spain groups. The intervention was illegal and external. External mechanisms by non-governmental organizations and without government authorization, “he said, adding that diseases had been reported to the Department of Justice, and the Supreme Court would rule on the case.
The Spanish Socialist-led Spanish government is under pressure to explain why a number of cell-linked members of a separatist in the northeastern state of Catalonia infected Pegasus between 2017 and 2020, according to the Citizen Lab, a group of University cybersecurity experts. of Toronto. Spyware silently infects phones or other devices to retrieve data and monitor their owners.
The announcement follows pressure from the left-wing coalition government to declare itself after the Canadian digital rights group Citizen Lab said more than 60 people linked to the separatist Catalan organization were victims of spyware “Pegasus” perpetrated by Israel’s NSO Group. Following allegations of scrutiny of members of the divisive Catalan movement, a key member of a minority government in parliament, Catalonia’s independent parliament, the ERC, has said it will not support the government until Madrid takes steps to restore confidence.
Pere Aragones, president of the separatist Catalan region, said in a statement on Monday: “When we look at the masses against the Catalan liberation movement, we only feel peace and excuse. Today everything is being done in a hurry.” clear. The European Union’s data watchdog has called for the closure of Pegasus over allegations of exploitation by consumer governments in order to spy on rights activists, journalists, and politicians.
The central government has tried to allay their concerns with promises of transparency, announcements of internal intelligence programs conducted by the country’s intelligence agency, and a separate investigation by the Spanish ombudsman.
A special parliamentary commission on state secrets has also been set up and the head of the CNI is expected to be questioned by lawmakers later this week, although talks on state security issues are not intended to be publicized.
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