WOLA: Advocacy for Human Rights in the Americas
9 Sep 2009 | News

Colombia’s Intelligence Agency: Spying on Democracy

Read USOC, WOLA and LAWGEF's memo on a scandal far worse than watergate which is unfolding featuring Colombia's presidential intelligence agency, the Administrative Security Department (DAS). Exposed by the Colombian news weekly Semana and the subject of an Attorney General's office investigation, the DAS is revealed to have been illegally spying on many of the varied forces of Colombian democracy: opposition politicians, human rights groups, journalists, clergy, unions, and Supreme Court justices.

Following on the heels of the "falsos positivos" scandal involving soldiers killing civilians and dressing them up as guerrillas killed in combat, a scandal far worse than Watergate is unfolding featuring Colombia's presidential intelligence agency, the Administrative Security Department (DAS).  Exposed by the Colombian news weekly Semana and the subject of an Attorney General's office investigation, the DAS is revealed to have been illegally spying on many of the varied forces of Colombian democracy:  opposition politicians, human rights groups, journalists, clergy, unions, and Supreme Court justices.  The operation went deeper than surveillance, employing a variety of dirty tricks, seeking to "neutralize and restrict" the normal activities of human rights groups and any voices critical of the Uribe administration.

Please follow this link to read a memo on the DAS intelligence scandal written by Lisa Haugaard, Latin America Working Group Education Fund; Kelly Nicholls, US Office on Colombia; Gimena Sánchez-Garzoli, Washington Office on Latin America.