Spain's government has removed Paz Esteban, the first woman to lead the CNI intelligence agency, as a deepening scandal over Pegasus spyware engulfed the administration. The software was found on the phones of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, two other ministers, and 18 Catalan separatists.
Defence Minister Margarita Robles, herself a victim of the hack, confirmed the decision, stating: 'You speak of dismissal, I speak of substitution.' Esteban, 64, who led the CNI since 2019, will be replaced by Esperanza Casteleiro, the defence minister's deputy.
The scandal erupted after Citizen Lab revealed that over 60 Catalan separatist figures were allegedly spied on, prompting the pro-independence ERC party to withdraw support from the Socialist-led government. It later emerged that Sánchez's phone was hacked twice in May 2021, with at least one data leak. The government described the hack as 'illicit and external,' but declined to comment on speculation linking Morocco to the breach.
Robles defended the CNI's actions, stating that 18 separatists were monitored with court approval, and insisted that 'no-one is investigated for their political ideas.' Critics, however, view Esteban's removal as a scapegoat to appease pro-independence parties. Opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo called it 'a genuine affront to our country.'
Pegasus, developed by Israel's NSO Group, can infect smartphones and extract data while secretly activating cameras and microphones. NSO claims it is intended for criminal and terrorist use, but the software is now under investigation by the European Parliament for alleged breaches of EU law.
