# Ecuador state surveillance controversy > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/ecuador-state-surveillance-controversy > Updated: 2026-08-05T23:53:00.000Z. Sources: 3. Developments: 2. In early July 2026, former Guayaquil security chief Fernando Cornejo called for a hearing before the Ecuadorian Assembly, alleging the existence of a secret “mirror room” of surveillance cameras. The request highlighted concerns about covert monitoring by security forces. By early August, the issue had broadened into a wider debate over state surveillance practices in Ecuador. Officials were reported to be accessing citizens’ personal data—including mobile‑phone locations—under the guise of essential services, while the Personal Data Protection Law remained unenforced. Prosecutor Diana Salazar cited the “Metástasis” case, linking narcotrafficking networks to state officials and underscoring the risk that unchecked police data access could fall into organized‑crime hands. Critics called for stronger oversight and legal safeguards. Together, the snapshots trace a shift from a specific allegation of a hidden camera facility to a broader scrutiny of Ecuador’s surveillance regime and its implications for privacy and security. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-05: Ecuador's State Surveillance Practices Raise Privacy and Security Concerns Ecuador's expanding state data collection faces criticism as prosecutors cite the Metástasis case, linking narcotrafficking chats to the murder of ex‑candidate Fernando Villavicencio and urging tighter privacy‑ 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ecuadors-state-surveillance-practices-raise-privacy-and-security-concerns ### 2026-07-08: Former Guayaquil security chief Fernando Cornejo seeks Assembly hearing on alleged camera ‘mirror room’ Ecuador’s former Segura EP chief Fernando Cornejo asked to appear before the Assembly’s Security Commission over claims of a “mirror room” allowing privileged access to municipal surveillance, denying any spy‑n 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/former-guayaquil-security-chief-fernando-cornejo-seeks-assembly-hearing-on-alleged-camera-mirror-roo --- Cite as: Ecuador state surveillance controversy. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/ecuador-state-surveillance-controversy