Skype and futureless countries

I was just reading that, once again, it has been discovered that the Colombian Intelligence Agency (DAS) has been illegally intercepting communications of key opposition members, journalists who do not praise the current right-wing administration, main members of courts in charge of processes against the government, and many others. The DAS also kindly offers its interception services (which use advanced equipments sold by the US) to drug cartels, left-wing guerrillas and right-wing paramilitary armies. The services --which include phone and email interception-- may cost from 30000 to 50000 euro, depending on who and for how long you want to follow someone.

First I felt kind of frustrated about the political use of this agency. Then I thought of what those so-needed, dissonant voices in the Colombian political spectrum could do to keep doing their opposition job. And I remembered a story that appeared in an Italian newspaper some weeks ago. It turns out that the part of the Italian police that is after big mafia bosses is highly discouraged by the fact they're increasingly using Skype to avoid intelligence spies on them. The technology Skype uses to cleverly distribute the data packages that represent voice makes it impossible to intercept communications. Skype conversations leave no trace whatsoever on computers, thus making any interception attempt futile. Needless to say, since Skype is based in Luxembourg, it is not covered by Italian laws and is not obliged to cooperate with the Italian police. (Read the full story, in Italian, here.)

I think this is a very interesting --but ironic-- consequence of technology. The same communication technologies that are allowing mafia bosses to run their business in the futureless republic of Italy could be the only option for those defending (what is left of) democracy in the futureless republic of Colombia.