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VenezuelaSpying in Venezuela through social networks and emailsEscuela Latinoamericana de Redes (EsLaRed)Sandra Benítezsandrab@ula.veIntroductionIn the following report, government measures andlegal instruments that have been implemented inVenezuela in connection with the surveillance ofcommunications are analysed. These measureswere implemented as a way to ensure nationalsecurity – but they can affect fundamental rights,such as freedom of expression and the right toprivacy of individuals. Some cases involving theviolation of human rights during the surveillanceof communications are also presented. These haveoccurred in recent years in Venezuela, and arethe result of a series of national economic, politicaland social events that have had a significantimpact on the population, and, according to thegovernment, have jeopardised national security.In addition, some statements by civil society onthe measures implemented by the government inthe period February to April 2014 are discussed.Actions that citizens can take to prevent accessto protected information and to guarantee the privacyof communications are suggested, alongsideactions that the state can implement to institutionallycoordinate surveillance of communicationsand to establish clear principles.Legal frameworkVenezuela has a regulatory framework which guaranteesfundamental freedom of expression andinformation rights of people, freedom of association,the right to privacy, honour, reputation andprivate life, and the right to privacy of communications.These are stipulated in articles 2, 29, 48, 57,58, 59, 60 and 61 of the constitution. 1 Moreover,there are legal instruments that guarantee theimplementation of human rights when it comes tosurveillance of communications and the security ofcitizens, such as: the Law Against Computer Crimes 2(Articles 6, 7 and 11); the Law on the Protection of1 www.tsj.gov.ve/legislacion/constitucion1999.htm2 www.tsj.gov.ve/legislacion/ledi.htmPrivacy of Communication 3 (Articles 1 to 9); the Lawon Data Messages and Electronic Signatures; 4 theLaw on the Social Responsibility of Radio, Televisionand Electronic Media, and Telecommunications; 5 alaw called Infogobierno 6 (Article 25); the Code ofCriminal Procedure; 7 the Law on Science, Technologyand Innovation 8 (Articles 5 and 6); the LawAgainst Organised Crime and Financing of Terrorism9 (Article 30); the Law on National Security; 10and the Law of the Bolivarian Armed Forces. 11 Thereare also regulatory bodies that are responsible formonitoring communications, such as the NationalTelecommunications Commission 12 (CONATEL); theCentre for Strategic Security and Protection of theFatherland 13 (CESPPA); the Vice Ministry of SocialNetworks; 14 the Bolivarian National IntelligenceService 15 (SEBIN); the National TelecommunicationsCompany of Venezuela 16 (CANTV); and the NationalCentre for Forensic Computing 17 (CENIF).Venezuela, as a member of the Organizationof American States (OAS), is committed to supportingagreements and statements such as thosemade by the OAS Special Rapporteur for Freedom ofExpression, 18 mandates from the sixth Summit of theAmericas on the use of information and communica-3 www.suscerte.gob.ve/media/filer_public/16/c7/16c7e2e2-5acf-4e18-84ea-f9bc5893abc4/1ley-sobre-proteccion-a-la-privacidadde-las-comunicaciones.pdf4 www.tsj.gov.ve/legislacion/dmdfe.htm5 www.conatel.gob.ve/files/leyrs.pdf6 www.cnti.gob.ve/images/stories/documentos_pdf/leydeinfogobierno.pdf7 www.mp.gob.ve/LEYES/CODIGO_OPP/index.html8 www.uc.edu.ve/uc_empresas/LOTIC.pdf9 www.casai.com.ve/chartisint/internet/VE/es/files/Ley-Organica-Contra-la-Delincuencia-Organizada-y-Financiamiento-al-Terrorismo_tcm1286-533853.pdf10 www.menpet.gob.ve/repositorio/imagenes/file/normativas/leyes/Ley_Organica_de_Seguridad_de_la_Nacion.pdf11 www.mindefensa.gob.ve/fundacionmuronto/images/ZonaDescargas/LOFANB.pdf12 www.conatel.gob.ve13 espaciopublico.org/index.php/biblioteca/doc_download/491-reglamento-del-cesppa14 www.minci.gob.ve/el-ministerio15 es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Servicio_Bolivariano_de_Inteligencia_Nacional16 www.cantv.com.ve17 www.suscerte.gob.ve/cenif18 www.oas.org/es/cidh/expresion/index.asptions technologies (ICTs), 19 and the Joint Declarationon Security Programs and their Impact on Freedomof Expression. 20 However, it is important to notethat in September 2013, Venezuela withdrew 21 fromthe Inter-American Commission on Human Rights(IACHR), which does not guarantee the protectionof rights in Venezuela under the OAS. However, citizensmay use other protective mechanisms, suchas the International Court of Justice at the UnitedNations, 22 even though there is a risk that the governmentignores its deliberations, such as in thecase of judgments on the violations of human rightsissued by Frank La Rue, Special Rapporteur on thepromotion and protection of the right to freedom ofopinion and expression. 23AnalysisVenezuela in recent years has faced a series of nationalevents that have had a significant impact onVenezuelan society, from the inevitable call for anew presidential election process in 2013 becauseof the death of President Hugo Chávez, to the differentmobilisations of civil society in 2014. Thesehave resulted in a deterioration in the quality of lifeof Venezuelans, a greater division in society, the violationof human rights, and greater control by thegovernment.In this area the government is implementing arange of policies included in the Plan of the Nation2013-2019, 24 which seek to deepen the socialistmodel that President Chávez began. Among themost notable strategic objectives related to the surveillanceof communications and national securityare the following:• Strengthening and expanding the Military Intelligenceand Counterintelligence for IntegratedHomeland Defence system.• Adapting the legal framework to develop the intelligenceand counterintelligence capabilitiesof the Armed Forces, under the principles of thecomprehensive defence of the nation.• Using citizen information for the security anddefence of the country.19 www.summit-americas.org/SIRG/2012/041412/mandates_sc_es.pdf20 www.oas.org/es/cidh/expresion/showarticle.asp?artID=927&lID=221 www.ultimasnoticias.com.ve/noticias/actualidad/politica/venezuela-se-retira-de-la-cidh.aspx22 www.un.org/es/icj23 www.elnuevoherald.com/2014/06/28/1786572/venezueladeplora-declaraciones.html24 www.nicolasmaduro.org.ve/programa-patriavenezuela-2013-019/#.U59xO3YvCSp• Establishing communications hegemony, includingstrengthening the regulation and socialcontrol of the media and developing a mediasector that contributes to the overall defence ofthe country.• Strengthening the responsible and critical useof the media as a training tool to promote Bolivarianvalues.• Updating and developing the technology platformsfor communication and information sharing,ensuring access to timely communication.Importantly, the Plan of the Nation was approved 25in the National Assembly despite opposition, andhas resulted in criticism. This can be seen in astatement 26 issued by the Academy of Political andSocial Sciences of Venezuela, which said that “thegovernment plan deepens the trend to politicisethe activity of the National Armed Forces and mergethe civil administration and the military, which isunderpinned by an overemphasis of the idea of thesafety of the nation.” This has been “aggravated byintroducing a permanent state of emergency andincreased the militaristic character of governmentand public administration.”Moreover, the government in recent years hasstrengthened the intelligence agencies of the state,consolidated registration systems and other citizendata, and developed legal instruments to regulatesocial networking and protect its citizens. Here aresome examples:• Creating the Deputy Minister of SocialNetworks, 27 CESPPA, the CounterintelligenceDirectorate SEBIN, 28 and forensic laboratories(CENIF) to support criminal investigations usingICTs. 29• Drawing on the Administrative IdentificationSystem for Migration and Aliens 30 (SAIME),the data capturing system used by the NationalElectoral Council, 31 the Military Register25 albaciudad.org/LeyPlanPatria26 goo.gl/UvoUai27 www.ultimasnoticias.com.ve/noticias/actualidad/politica/gobierno-crea-viceministerio-para-redes-sociales.aspx,tn.com.ar/internacional/maduro-creo-un-ministerio-de-redessociales_43842428 The Directorate of Counterintelligence (SEBIN) refers to theInterior Intelligence and Counterintelligence service in Venezuela.This directorate is responsible for the coordination of computerservices and coordination of strategic analysis.29 www.suscerte.gob.ve/cenif, www.taringa.net/posts/noticias/15335864/El-hacker-argentino-que-trabajo-para-Chavez.html30 www.saime.gob.ve31 www.cne.gob.ve/web/sistema_electoral/tecnologia_electoral_descripcion.php270 / Global Information Society Watchvenezuela / 271