An anonymous reader writes:
The US government, by the contract S-INLEC-06-R-4042, Title 58 will monitor the full spectrum of telecommunications in Mexico. From the Contract description:
The U.S. Department of State, Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs intends to issue Request for Proposal S-INLEC-06-R-4042 for the purchase of Communications Intercept Systems to include installation, technical support and training on-site in Mexico.
The scope of the contract is "the purchase and installation of a communications intercept system that enables the collection and analysis of information transmitted over all types of communications systems" in Mexico; this system sould enable the "timely receipt, processing, analysis, and storage of intercepted communications from the national telephonic and other communications service providers in Mexico. The proposed system must comply with the following AFI stated requirements for interception of target calls and sessions from (1) TELMEX PSTN network, through analog lines, (2) TELCEL TDMA network, (3) NEXTEL iDEIM/GSM network, (4) TELEFONICA network, (5) UNEFON network, (6) ISUACEL CDMA network and TDMA network, (7) Existing CISCO VoIP network at customer's premises, (8) packet data from the Mexico PRODIGY ISP network. Additionally the client desires the establishment of a central monitoring center with the capabilities of (1) real-time and off-line playback, (2) fax decoding, (3) packet data decoding, (4) storage of all calls for at least 25,000 hours, (5) storage of all session related information, (6) 30 monitoring stations and 30 printers, (7) cellular location and tracking. Capabilities must include TDMA, GSM, CDMA, iDEN, AMPS, PCS, landline, FAX, Email, chat, internet, SMS and VoIP"
Supposedly this will "strengthen the United States Government's (USG) and Mexico's protective posture to disseminate timely and accurate, actionable information to each countries respective federal, state, local, private (emphasis added), and international partners".
The leftist blog "Sendero del Peje" has more data in spanish and english on this post. This level of monitoring is illegal under the articles 7 and 16 of the Mexican Constitution, that provide similar protections to the 4th, 9th and 14th amendments to US Constitution.
This news have been meet with a deafening silence by the press, the Mexican Congress and the corporate media.