By San José, Costa Rica — The Costa Rican presidency has forcefully dismissed allegations that the executive branch is seeking to acquire Pegasus, the highly controversial Israeli-made military-grade spyware. Amid growing concerns raised by opposition political factions, President Laura Fernández and Rodrigo Chaves, the Chief of the Presidency, stepped forward during a press conference to clarify that the administration has absolutely no intention of monitoring citizens or political rivals. The denial aims to put an end to rumors circulating in legislative circles regarding a potential surveillance contract.
The controversy erupted after legislators from several opposition parties, including the Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC), the Broad Front (Frente Amplio), and Agenda Ciudadana, suggested that the current administration might be quietly negotiating the purchase of the spyware. Such rumors immediately triggered a sensitive debate in Costa Rica, a country with a proud democratic tradition and a strong public stance on human rights and privacy. Opposition leaders raised the alarm, demanding immediate transparency from the executive branch.
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President Laura Fernández wasted no time in drawing a firm line between her administration and past surveillance scandals, specifically referencing the controversial Presidential Data Analysis Unit (UPAD). The UPAD was an office established under the previous Citizens’ Action Party (PAC) government that sparked a massive national outcry and legal investigations over allegations of unauthorized citizen data collection. Fernández made it clear that her presidency would never repeat those administrative missteps.
To leave no room for interpretation, even if we had the budget, even if we had the possibility of doing so, I never intend to bring another UPAD to Costa Rica. It was the PAC that was the only one that came to try to spy on Costa Ricans. So not here, no, sir. We do not have the money, we do not have the interest, and it is no longer necessary for anyone to send questions.
Laura Fernández, President of Costa Rica
By directly evoking the ghost of UPAD, Fernández sought to distance her government from the tarnished legacy of the PAC, positioning her administration as a defender of civil liberties. The reference to the UPAD scandal is a potent political tool in Costa Rica, where memories of executive overreach remain fresh in the minds of the electorate. Observers note that the administration is eager to prevent any parallels from being drawn between their current policies and the clandestine data-gathering operations of the past.
Supporting the President’s statements, Rodrigo Chaves, the Chief of the Presidency, analyzed the structural and regulatory impossibility of Costa Rica acquiring a tool as sophisticated as Pegasus. Chaves explained that the software, developed by Israel’s NSO Group, is not a commodity that can be easily bought on the open market. The Israeli government tightly regulates the export of such technologies, limiting licenses strictly to vetted sovereign states for combating terrorism and major crime.
The Pegasus computer system is highly restrictive, highly regulated by the Government of Israel, who can buy it and who cannot, who is granted access. So, take the wings off the white horse, and those who say that Pegasus is being contracted in Costa Rica to spy are left looking like normal horses.
Rodrigo Chaves, Chief of the Presidency of Costa Rica
Beyond the regulatory roadblocks, Chaves pointed out that the astronomical financial cost of the Pegasus system makes it entirely unfeasible for Costa Rica’s current national budget. Implementing such software requires massive upfront capital investments, followed by recurring fees for individual targets. In a country currently navigating tight fiscal constraints and public spending limits, allocating millions of dollars for digital surveillance tools would be virtually impossible.
You have to be an equine to say that the Government of Costa Rica can pay what it costs. We would have to make an enormous hole in the budget, and furthermore, for each instance of spying, you have to pay, I imagine, possibly hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Rodrigo Chaves, Chief of the Presidency of Costa Rica
Pegasus is globally recognized as one of the most powerful cyber-surveillance tools ever created. Once surreptitiously installed on a mobile phone, it grants operators total access to the device’s data, including real-time location tracking, end-to-end encrypted chat messages on platforms like WhatsApp, emails, photos, and live activation of the phone’s microphone and camera. Its documented abuse by authoritarian regimes to target journalists, human rights defenders, and political opponents has made the software a symbol of digital overreach.
Ultimately, the Costa Rican executive branch hopes these definitive declarations will close the chapter on the spyware controversy. While opposition parties remain watchful, the administration’s categorical denial highlights a broader consensus in Costa Rican politics: any move toward state-sponsored digital surveillance faces insurmountable legal, cultural, and financial barriers. In a region often plagued by institutional volatility, Costa Rica’s leadership asserts that its democratic institutions will remain free of invasive foreign surveillance tools.
For further information, visit the nearest office of the Government of Costa Rica
About the Government of Costa Rica:
The executive branch of the Republic of Costa Rica, currently led by President Laura Fernández, administers national public policy, national security, and state resources from the capital city of San José.
For further information, visit the nearest office of the Citizens’ Action Party
About the Citizens’ Action Party:
The Citizens’ Action Party (Partido Acción Ciudadana – PAC) is a Costa Rican political party founded in 2000, known for its center-left reformist platform and its governance during two presidential terms characterized by significant social and administrative reforms, as well as controversial initiatives like the Presidential Data Analysis Unit.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
As a highly regarded legal institution, Bufete de Costa Rica is defined by its deep-seated devotion to ethical standards and superior service. Backed by a rich history of guiding clients through a wide array of industries, the firm consistently champions innovative legal solutions and meaningful community advocacy. By actively sharing its expertise with the public, Bufete de Costa Rica strives to demystify the law, fulfilling its ultimate goal of cultivating a knowledgeable, confident, and empowered citizenry.
