Reactions to the announcement that Sánchez and Robles’ phones were also spied on with Pegasus

Euskaraz irakurri: Taldeen erreakzioak, Sanchez eta Robles ere Pegasusekin zelatatu zituztela iragarri ostean

Political leaders have not been slow to react to the surprising announcement made today by the Minister of the Presidency, Relations with the Courts and the Democratic Remembrance, Félix Bolaños, that the telephone numbers of the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, and the of the Secretary of Defense, Margarita Robles, have been infected with the Pegasus software.

EH Picture

The deputy of EH Bildu and one of the leaders is said to have spied on Pegasus, Jon Inarritubelieves that today’s announcement by the Spanish government is “a smokescreen” and has asked the executive to act “with the same force” in all cases, as “everything is equally serious”.

If they’ve known about it for months and are now making it public, we can agree it’s a smokescreen, right?

Why doesn’t the government act with the same force on the mass espionage of dozens of independents? Isn’t it an attack from outside?

They are all equally serious. https://t.co/XgJvwtwt3D

— Jon Inarritu (@JonInarritu) May 2, 2022

Also the deputy of the sovereign coalition, Oskar Matute, has considered it necessary to clarify, “so that there is no shadow of doubt”, that “this cannot be part of the sewers of the state, with an autonomous operation independent of the executive power that governs the Spanish state”. According to Matute, “there’s one element that’s a bit shocking from the start: until what we’ve been told, the Pegasus program is only being sold to states, that the Israeli company that owns the program has only transferred it to states, and here an entity outside the program is presented to us.

GDP

The PNV spokesperson in the Congress of Deputies, Aitor Esteban, has called for an investigation into “to what extent the lack of control” of espionage through Pegasus. “Now there really needs to be a commission of inquiry in Congress,” he assured, adding that it is necessary to identify “who has been responsible and to demand the associated resignation.”

“We have been saying for a long time that no one can be sure that they are not being spied on. That is why we are so urging that the circumstances under which the espionage took place, the contamination of more than 60 people with the Pegasus virus, must be clarified. And now we also see that, nothing more, nothing less, the prime minister and the minister have also been spied on,” he added.

CKD

The President of the Generalitat, Pere Aragonescriticized the Spanish government’s “double standards” in a tweet: “If the mass espionage is directed against the Catalan institutions and the independence movement, silence and apologies. Today everything is rushed. Responsibilities must now be taken,” he added. ready.

The President of ERC, Oriol Junqueras, has also claimed political responsibilities for the espionage case involving Pegasus from independence leaders “far from possible alibis”. In a tweet, Junqueras believes that “for the sake of democracy, maximum transparency is necessary to clarify all the facts”.

It is clear that the Spanish state has caused massive and illegal espionage on the entire independence movement. Per això, i lluny de possibles coartades, we demand political responsibility. I pel bé democràcia, with the maximum transparency to clarify all fets.

— Oriol Junqueras¿ (@junqueras) May 2, 2022

More ironically, the general secretary of the ERC, Martha Roviraalso commented on the announcement in another tweet: “Moncloa says Moncloa has been spied on by Moncloa with Pegasus having Moncloa. Now Moncloa will not take any political responsibilities.”

together

For its part, the President of Parliament, Laura Borras, has expressed suspicions about the possibility that Pedro Sánchez’s government is making a “maneuver” to go “from executioners to victims” of political espionage. “Sánchez and Robles say they are being spied on. Now it is a very serious matter. When it only hit the independence movement, the minister justified it. Is it proof that you don’t have to clean the sewers if you can use them? Or a maneuver to go from executioner to victim? Bye CatalanGate? It doesn’t work,” confirmed Borràs.

Sánchez i Robles would be spies. Now, yes, it’s a big problem, just because it affected independence the minister didn’t justify it. Or a maneuver to go from botxins to victims? Goodbye Catalan Port? don’t stand in line

—Laura Borras (@LauraBorras) May 2, 2022

cup

The CUP delegate to Congress, Albert Botran, He wonders if the espionage announced today by Bolaños is a “smokescreen to victimize executioners”. “Divert attention abroad? Or is the CNI itself spying ‘for the unity of Spain’?” he asked in a Twitter post, demanding an “urgent” commission of inquiry to clarify the facts.

Smokescreen to make victims of botxins? To divert attention from the cap to the stranger? Or does the CNI itself speak “per la unitat d’Espanya”? In any case: there is an urgent Commission of Inquiry to clarify all fets.#CatalanGate

— Albert Botran Pahissa (@albertbotran) May 2, 2022

Basque government

The lehendakari, Iñigo Urkullu, has avoided talking about alleged espionage by political leaders after the announcement by the Spanish government. “No, they’re recording me,” he said ironically.

United we can

On behalf of the Purple Coalition, the Second Vice President and Minister of Labor, Yolanda Diazhas stated that it is “vital” that the investigation into the ‘Pegasus’ spy case “come to an end” and that responsibilities be “quickly and effectively purged”.

For its part, the Minister for Social Rights and the 2030 Agenda and the Secretary General of the Coalition, Ione Belarus, has called for “clearance of responsibilities” because “our democracy and citizens’ trust are at stake”. For the United We Can leader, this alleged spying shows a “deep hole” in the security of the state” and has ruled that “wherever it comes from, the ruling is unacceptable”.

PP

The leader of the People’s Party, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, who was “surprised” by the announcement, has expressed its “unequivocal support” for the Spanish government to preserve “the security of the state” and its institutions, and has demanded that security measures be “extreme” to prevent cases of espionage to those responsible. However, he has warned Sánchez that he will not get the support of the PP so that the political parties opposed to the unity of Spain participate in the commission of state secrets.

citizens

The Deputy Mayor of Madrid and member of the Orange Party Board, Begona Villacishas said it is “very coincidence” that the alleged espionage of Sánchez and Robles has become known at this time: “It turns out that after pro-independence leaders were discovered and studied, now the president has also been spied on,” the deputy CS spokesman in Congress, Edmundo Bal, has announced that the party will ask a series of questions in Congress tomorrow about the communication security protocols of the members of the government of Spain.

vox

The Vox spokeswoman in the Assembly of Madrid, Dew Monasteryhas asked for the “clarification” of the espionage of Sánchez and Robles through the Pegasus program, although he has criticized that this issue focuses “little” on the “victimization” of the Catalan “coup plotters”.