The Colombian government has promised to increase internet security measures after it was discovered on Saturday that hackers infiltrated the email accounts of a key negotiator in the Havana peace talks.
In a statement made on Saturday, Humberto De La Calle Colombia’s chief negotiator at the Havana Peace Talks with FARC guerrillas, said that hackers had broken into his personal emails and online communications.
In response to the attacks the government claimed to have increased online security to ensure that information obtained by hacking could not be used to derail the peace talks which have been taking place in Havana since November 2012.
Juan Fernando Cristo, Colombia Minister of Interior stated that the allegations made by the chief negotiator, Humberto de la Calle “are a confirmation that the enemies of peace are willing to do anything just to frustrate the desire of Colombians for peace.”
In a statement released on Sunday, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), also condemned the act. The online statement said “We reject what happened and we conveyed our solidarity to Dr. De la Calle.”
De la Calle was informed of the attacks by the Colombia Police Intelligence Department (Dipol), who reported that the technologies used by the hackers had allowed them to not only access his information, but to also send e-mails and messages from his email accounts.
De la Calle also suggested that his mobile phone may have been hacked, as a number of false profiles were set up on social network sites over the weekend.
In his public statement on Saturday, De la Calle stated that the peace talks were being conducted with total transparency, and that all of the information that could have been accessed through the hacking would be available publically.
De la Calle blamed the attacks on those intent on disrupting the peaceful outcome of the talks in Havana, the most succesful negotiations that have taken place between FARC and government representatives in a conflict which has last for more that 50 years in Colombia.