THE PUNCH SOUTH AMERICA

VENEZUELAN  INTELLIGENCE SPYING ON  JOURNALISTS IN THE GOOD OL' USA

Among its objectives are also businessmen, politicians and leaders of Chavez critics groups

MIAMI. - With undercover agents in several circles, Venezuela's intelligence services continue in the footsteps of journalists, politicians and entrepreneurs in the United States at least since 2003.
According to a document of the Bolivarian Intelligence Service (SEBIN) dated June 2012, on instructions from the Minister of Interior and Justice and also a director of that security force, Miguel Rodriguez Torres, requested the Directorate of Intelligence full profile some reporters whose complaints have been uncomfortable for the government of Caracas.

The human rights activist and coordinator of Venezuela Awareness Foundation, Patricia Andrade, said he has more than 30 reports have been spied prove in order to obtain information about their daily routines, telephone conversations, and other information. He said he has received calls with death threats at his residence in the United States and who called used private number. He said that, according to the characteristics of the data provided to SEBIN, intelligence agents have close contact with people who know in the U.S.. Moreover, the descriptions reveal that even private conversations have been heard.

Patricia Andrade went to offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and alerted to the fact. After learning about the incident, federal officials warned that any intervention telephone lines or emails can not be made from Venezuelan territory in the United States.

The document with the order for espionage is an official communication that includes instructions from the Directorate General of SEBIN and were requested by the Department of Information Processing Coordination Unit to Electronic Networks and Information Requirements.

These units include experts in computer tools and data binding to provide personal information, business and even criminal past of persons under investigation. Data is supplemented with information obtained by agents in the research site outside Venezuela.

One of the journalists who have been targeted by Venezuelan intelligence agents and whose name appears on the official document is Gerardo Reyes, head of the Research Department of the Univision channel. Reyes said the date of the document matches a journalistic investigation conducted into the alleged diversion of more than $ 300 million deposited in the pension fund retirees Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA.

By knowing who was in the sights of the Venezuelan intelligence service, Reyes said "it would be better than (the Venezuelan government) will spend money to defend people, provide butter, eggs and toilet paper."

Ocando Casto, another investigative reporter for the Univision Network, who is also mentioned in the document, was not surprised by the news. Ocando is mentioned in the order of espionage after the documentary "The Iranian Threat," by the Hispanic television network and leading the government of Hugo Chavez to close the Venezuelan consulate in Miami in retaliation.

Ocando considered that "there is an effort of an authoritarian government that wants to control journalists even abroad. He recalled that the U.S. spy is a very serious federal crime.

The SEBIN espionage operations have increased during the current Venezuelan government. In 2005 there was a meeting with representatives of the Venezuelan opposition in a media center in the capital. During the meeting, a heated debate took place behind closed doors. A few hours after the event culminated, it was learned that several microphones had been installed in the auditorium where the conversation took place. The "bugs" (as it is known in the world of espionage) were placed by members of the former General Sectoral Directorate of Intelligence and Prevention Services (DISIP) now SEBIN, which at the time was led by current minister Interior and Justice, Miguel Rodriguez Torres.

Andrade said that espionage even collects data on migratory movements of Venezuelans. He said that a neighbor received a phone call from a stranger, who demanded to know the number of activist. He also demonstrated that tracking was the subject another person close to your personal circle whose telephone lines were cut in order to be tapped, as found by a technician from the phone company.

Nicolas Maduro added that when he was president of the National Assembly in 2004 revealed the deputies some recorded conversations between Andrade and others, with the goal of being linked to criminal activities. The "revelations" Maduro were broadcast television program VTV Venezuela officer in the midnight hours.