The "Civil Power" Condemned

El Líbero, September 24, 2022

In matters of security, there is no room for improvisation.

Our security is in trouble, not precisely because those on the ground are failing to perform their duties. Rather, it is because those who claim to lead it are not doing so. This week we learned that the email accounts of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (EMCO) had been hacked. Midway through the week, the Undersecretary for Crime Prevention expressed concern that the collaborative traffic app Waze was including information about ambush zones. Meanwhile, what were the authorities in charge doing?

Of course, the breach of emails is concerning, but so is what was revealed on Thursday regarding the alert given to the Minister of Defense about potential cybersecurity issues. The ministry confirmed the information, claiming that “in no case was the magnitude communicated that we know today.” Our authorities repeat the idea of “subordination to civil power” like a mantra; where was that civil power when the issue was reported? 

On another level, the government’s concern about the information included in Waze shows another facet of the same problem. That “civil power” responsible for public security is failing, and citizens have had to seek other ways to protect themselves. 

We are losing the battle for security. While our Armed Forces and Law Enforcement carry out their duties with total commitment to the homeland, that “civil power” is failing. Whether due to a lack of knowledge, experience, ideological bias, or all of the above, one thing is clear: in matters of security, there is no room for improvisation. 

Regarding the breach that affected EMCO, a specialized investigation must shed light on how compromised our security is. But this is only the technical aspect. Politically, those leading the ministry cannot claim ignorance of the magnitude of the event. It is their responsibility to ask the right questions and analyze how it may affect us.

For now, the head of EMCO has submitted his resignation, arguing that he did so due to the responsibilities of his position and has avoided referring to his superiors, both from the Army and the Ministry. When the investigations conclude, we will know all the responsibilities of the position that may have been involved. Today, our leaders have received an important alert. Defense is a very complex matter that cannot be left to damage control or chance. It contributes to Foreign Policy through the international relations specific to the sector, protects territorial integrity and sovereignty from external threats under strict protocols and strategies, and a good performance in this area has allowed for the construction of a national image that has positioned Chile as a nation that contributes to global stability. 

We also cannot expect an app to indicate the most dangerous places. I hope our authorities have understood the message, have grasped the seriousness of the problem, and, for the good of all, that the “civil power” finishes with a passing grade in the evaluation that all Chileans make of it. 

Pilar Lizana
Researcher, AthenaLab

Source: El Líbero