Representatives of 70 organizations from Brazil and around the world at the

Brazilian Foreign Ministry to present a million petitions and an open letter to

President Dilma Rousseff, asking her government to speed a grant of political

asylum to Edward Snowden.

Protesters at BRICs Summit Seek Asylum for Edward Snowden (Carta Maior, Brazil)

"To support the granting of political asylum to Snowden, bands of protestors positioned themselves a few meters from the Foreign Ministry, where the 6th BRICS Summit was taking place with the presence of President Dilma Rousseff and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Received by Justice Ministry Executive Secretary Pereira, they delivered an open letter addressed to the president, in which they requested a quick response and argued that Brazil cannot shirk this responsibility."

By Najla Passos

Translated By Brandi Miller

July 18, 2014

Brazil - Carta Maior - Original Article (Portuguese)

Brasília: Fifteen days before the expiration of Edward Snowden's temporary visa in Russia, representatives of 70 national and international organizations gathered in front the Ministry of Justice in Brasília Wednesday (July 16), seeking an official position from the Brazil government on a request for political asylum from the North American activist who denounced to the world the illegal spying practices carried out by the United States against governments and citizens of several countries, including President Dilma Rousseff and state-owned Petrobrás.

To support the granting of political asylum to Snowden, bands of protestors positioned themselves a few meters from Itamaraty [the Foreign Ministry], where the 6th BRICS Summit was taking place with the presence of Dilma and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Received by Justice Ministry Executive Secretary Marivaldo de Castro Pereira, they delivered an open letter addressed to the president, in which they requested a quick response and argued that Brazil cannot shirk this responsibility.

Director of Internet Without Borders in Brazil, Florence Poznanski, recalled that since Snowden's revelations became public on June 5, 2013, Brazil has led the discussion against illegal U.S. spying, and President Dilma Rousseff not only spoke at the U.N. against the practice, but she refused to be received by President Barack Obama at a state dinner in her honor.

The activist also argued that due to the mobilization and campaigns that followed the scandal, the Brazilian Congress managed to pass the Civil Milestone for the Internet, one of the most advanced texts in the world with regard to online guarantees and rights. "These 70 organizations believe that Brazil should give asylum to the person who initiated this entire process," Poznanski said.

She also pointed out that granting Snowden asylum would be a very popular measure for Brazil. In addition to the official support of  70 organizations, the initiative gained the sympathy of over a million people who signed the petition on the Avaaz Web site, one of the Internet's central channels for social mobilization around the world.

Posted By Worldmeets.US

Bia Barbosa, coordinator of the Coletivo Intervozes [Intervoices Collective] and the executive area of the Fórum Nacional pela Democratização da Comunicação [National Forum for the Democratization of Communication], added that despite Snowden having publicly announced his Brazil asylum request, Justice Minister José Eduardo Cardozo denies having received it. The consensus among the groups is that although this issue may be bureaucratic, the government's decision is political.

A member of the Chamber of Deputies Foreign Affairs Committee, Ivan Valente (PSOL-SP), added that in addition to having a tradition of granting asylum, Brazil needs to defend its sovereignty. "The Brazilian government has already given a tough response from the point of view of international relations, but there needs to be consequences," he said.

GUARDIAN NEWS VIDEO: Edward Snowden on His Fate, Journalism,

and NSA Procedure (Click Here or Click Photo to Watch)

MORE SURVEILLANCE TRANSLATIONS FROM BRAZIL:
O Reporter, Brazil: Brazil Passes NSA-Driven Internet Law, Seeks Global Action at NetMundial
Folha, Brazil: Shaming the NSA is First Step to Ending 'State of Nature'
Folha, Brazil: NSA Scandal No More than a Temporary Annoyance
O Globo, Brazil: U.S. Must Employ Famed 'Checks and Balances' on NSA
O Globo, Brazil: NSA's 'Anti-Privacy Services' and NASA's 'Earth-Shaking News
Epoca, Brazil: America's 'Undemocratic' Surveillance is More Invasive than China's
Folha, Brazil: NSA's Great Power Challenge to Brazil
Folha, Brazil: 'In His Heart,' Obama Knows Rousseff is Right about Spying
Opera Mundi, Brazil: Outraged Evo Morales Wants Obama Tried for 'Crimes Against Humanity'
Folha, Brazil: Dilma Postpones Her U.S. State Visit; Saves Face for Both Sides
Epoca, Brazil: President Rousseff: Snowden Documents Show U.S. Economic Espionage
Epoca, Brazil: After NSA Scandal, Brazil Seeks Reduced U.S. Control Over Internet
Carta Maior, Brazil: Invasions of Privacy and the Tools of Terror Maintenance
O Globo, Brazil: Adjusting to Our 'Brave New World' of Liberty
O Globo, Brazil: NSA Targeted Latin American 'Trade Secrets'
O Globo, Brazil: Brazil 'Gravely Concerned' Over Massive NSA Espionage
O Globo, Brazil: Leading Brazilians Condemn U.S. Surveillance Against the Nation
O Globo, Brazil: President Rousseff's U.S. State Visit Imperiled By NSA Spying
Jornal Do Brasil, Brazil: Chancellor Tells Kerry: 'Terminate' Spying on Brazilians
Folha, Brazil: Trust in the State Inadequate as a Pretext for NSA's Spying

His colleague, Deputy Chico Alencar (PSOL-RJ), said that the lack of an official position on Snowden's asylum request doesn't suit a government that took on conservative sectors to grant asylum to Italian activist Cesare Battisti. "There is widespread popular support for Snowden, who has become a hero to the people spied upon," he said.

Justice Ministry Executive Secretary Pereira told the groups' assembled representatives that he would determine the agencies responsible and find out whether there had in fact been an official request for asylum from Snowden.  If there was, he would see if the request met the rules of the Statute on Foreigners. "Without an official request, the Brazilian government has no way of ruling on the matter," he clarified in a letter to Carta Maior.

TRANSLATIONS ON SURVEILLANCE FROM AROUND THE WORLD:
Frankfurter Rundschau, Germany: America's Growing 'Hostility' Toward German Democracy
Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Germany: Bundestag's NSA Investigators Blast Music - Just to be Safe!
Frankfurter Rundschau, Germany: 'Silent Scandal' Over NSA Manipulation of German Law
Germany, Russia, Ireland: NSA Scandal Part II - German Spy Worked for America
Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Germany: Opposition Threatens to Sue Government Over NSA Files
Huanqiu, China: 'Demented' Hacking Charges Betray U.S. Scheme for Cyber Domination
Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Germany: Opposition Threatens to Sue Government Over NSA Files
Rzeczpospolita, Poland: A 'Puppet in Putin's Hands,' Snowden Paved Way to Ukraine Crisis
Netzwertig, Germany: Will Facebook, Google, and Twitter Heed Snowden's Call on Encryption?
News, Switzerland: Question for New Republic: Who Cares What Snowden Thinks?
Die Welt, Germany: A Toothless NSA? Not Under Obama!
Die Welt, Germany: Merkel 'Outraged' She Will Be Ignored by NSA
Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Germany: Berlin Says Americans 'Lied' About No Spy Deal
Deutche Welle, Germany: Actions Must Follow Obama's Words on NSA, Germans Say
Deutche Welle, Germany: Barack Obama's Missed Moment
Deutche Welle, Germany: Obama Seeks to Placate Germany over NSA
Guardian, U.K.: NSA Collects Millions of Text Messages Daily in 'Untargeted' Global Sweep
Guardian Unlimited, U.K.: Snowden to Join Freedom of the Press Foundation Board
The New York Times, U.S.: N.S.A. Devises Radio Path Into Computers - Even Offline
SCMP, Hong Kong: China, Too, is Building Quantum Supercomputer
de Volkskrant, The Netherlands: Don't Believe the Hype Over NSA's Quantum Computer
Guardian, U.K.: NSA Comment Doesn't Deny Spying on U.S. Lawmakers
Cheative Chaos Congress, Germany: EFF Lawyer Kurt Opsahl: All We Know of NSA Spying
Huanqiu, China: For Exposing U.S. Hypocrisy, Snowden Deserves Global Respect
Die Tageszeitung, Germany: Google, Facebook, Mount 'Disingenuous' Anti-Spy Campaign
Der Spiegel, Germany:Snowden on How GCHQ Monitors Germany, Israel, E.U.
Financial Times, U.K.: NSA Fallout - Brazil Snubs Boeing - Saab Wins Jet Deal
Ars Technica, U.S.: Data Brokers Won’t Even Tell Government how it Uses, Sells Your Data
Guardian, U.K.: NSA Review to Leave Spying Programs Largely Unchanged: Reports
El Espectador, Colombia 'Mind Control' is Achieved in Post-Snowden United States
Guardian, U.K.: NSA Review to Leave Spying Programs Largely Unchanged: Reports
Guardian, U.K.: Under New Law, French Can Monitor Internet Users in Real Time
CBC News, Canada: Australia Spy Agency Offered to Share Data on Australia Citizens
Guardian, U.K.: Snowden Revelations Prompt U.N. Probe into Mass Surveillance
British Parliament, U.K.: Guardian Editor Rusbridger Testifies on Snowden Files
La Jornada, Mexico: Nations Should Quickly Heed Advice of Greenwald, Assange
CBC News, Canada: Top Spy Refuses to Answer Queries on G20 Espionage
The National Post, Canada: No Reason for Canada to be Ashamed of Spying on OtherS
Globe & Mail, Canada: Don't Listen to Our Guests or Our Protesters
Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Germany: U.S. Consulate General: U.S. Spy Center in Germany
Le Temps, Switzerland: Europe's Price for Trade Talks Must Be End to U.S. Impunity
Guardian, U.K.: NSA 'Collected Details of Online Sexual Activity' of Muslim Radicals
Tagesschau, Germany: Reports Expose America's 'Secret War' in Germany
News Switzerland: Swiss Asylum for Snowden Would Win Points with Berlin
ABC, Spain: German 'Snowden-Mania' Puts All Europe at Risk
Guardian, U.K.: New York Times Defends Guardian's Snowden Leaks
Die Zeit, Germany: Germany Warns U.S. Facilities Could be Attacked Over NSA Anger
Okaz, Saudi Arabia: NSA Crisis Exposes American Dream as Counterfeit
Al Madina, Saudi Arabia: Spying Ruins 'Sanctity' of 'Holy' War on Terror
Izvestia, Russia: Moscow Tongues Wag Over 'Downfall' of U.S. Ambassador McFaul
de Volkskrant, Netherlands: Lawsuit Seeks to Halt Dutch 'Laundering' of NSA-Acquired Data
Al Madina, Saudi Arabia: Spying Ruins 'Sanctity' of 'Holy' War on Terror
Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland: John Kerry May Bring Happy NSA Surprise for Poles
Rzeczpospolita, Poland: Europe's 'NSA Envy'
Polityka, Poland: Allies or Enemies? American Intelligence Has Lost the Plot
Der Spiegel, Germany: Without Our Own Internet, We Have No Sovereignty
Der Spiegel, Germany: Et Tu, UK? Anger Grows over British Spying in Berlin
Der Spiegel, Germany: Germany's Quandary: The Debate over Asylum for Snowden
Der Spiegel, Germany: Free Press? Guardian Editor Laments 'Retrogressive' Government
Der Spiegel, Germany: Codependent: Merkel's Pragmatic Approach to the NSA Scandal
Der Spiegel, Germany: Merkel Spying: It's 'Unlikely' White House Didn't Know
China Daily, China: American 'Anti-Terror' Spies Have No Place in China
NZZ, Switzerland: NSA and Germany: a 'Highly Toxic Outrage Cocktail'
Ryukyo Shimpo, Japan: Japan Must Safeguard Data from 'Superpower in Decline'
Japan Times, Japan: NSA asked Japan to Tap Regionwide Fiber-Optic Cables in 2011
La Jornada, Mexico: Human Rights, the NSA, and U.S. Moral Decline
Le Monde, France: After PRISM, E.U. Must Safeguard 'Emerging Global Consciousness'
Le Nouvel Observateur, France: NSA Snoops on France: 'Like Spying on Family'
Le Monde, France: 'How the NSA Spies on the French'
Le Monde, France: Fighting 'Big Brother'
Le Monde, France: NSA Wiretapped French Diplomats in America
Le Monde, France: French Phone Networks in NSA Crosshairs'
El Pais, Spain: NSA: For Europe, it's Better to be 'Heard than Ignored'
El Pais, Spain: Rather than Rajoy's Phone Calls, NSA Should Focus on JFK's Assassin!
El Pais, Spain: Conflicted Europe Must Defend Citizen Liberties
El Pais, Spain: Mass U.S. Monitoring of Innocent Non-Americans Must End
BNR Nieuwsradio, The Netherlands: The NSA Proves Dalai Lama Wrong
Dar Al-Hayat, Saudi Arabia: NSA, Drone Strikes, and Obama's 'Ethical Collapse'
Telegraph, U.K.: David Cameron 'Spies' Trouble
Der Spiegel, Germany: Embassy Espionage: The NSA's Secret Spy Hub in Berlin
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Germany: Say it isn't so, NSA!
Guardian, U.K.: Spain Summons U.S. Ambassador Over Claim NSA Tracked Millions
Die Zeit, Germany: NSA Blackmail of Obama Himself is Not Far-Fetched
Trouw, The Netherlands: U.S. Spying? Don't Put Your Open Data in the Town Square!
La Jornada, Mexico: Latest NSA Leak Puts President Nieto's Credibility at Stake
de Volkskrant, The Netherlands: Snowden Exposes NSA Christmas Holiday Loophole!
Guardian, U.K.: France Summons U.S. Envoy Over NSA Surveillance Claims
Dep Speigel, Germany: Fresh Leak: NSA Accessed Mexican President's E-mail
La Jornada, Mexico: Nations Should Quickly Heed Advice of Greenwald, Assange
Guardian, U.K.: World Editors: 'What Guardian is Doing is Important for Democracy
Guardian, U.K.: Surveillance, Democracy, Transparency - Views from Across the Globe
Guardian, U.K.: EDITORIAL: Spies and Journalism: When Worlds Collide
Izvestia, Russia: Global Call to Arms Against 'American Exceptionalism'
Huanqiu, China: Letter By Vladimir Putin Exposes 'Exceptional' American Inequality
de Volkskrant, The Netherlands: Putin's Note to Americans a Guilty Pleasure for World
Guardian, U.K.: Committee to Protect Journalists Issues Scathing Report on Obama
Guardian, U.K.: NSA Reform Under Threat by 'Business-as-Usual Brigade' - Wyden
Estadao, Brazil: Warning to Brazil Lawmakers Before Meeting with Snowden
El Mundo, Spain: The U.N.'s Yearly Show Again Plays a Vital Role
Pagina Siete, Bolivia: U.S. Fears, Not Evil, Motivate Desperate Search for Snowden
El Nacional, Bolivia: Snowden: South America Must Take Stand Against Old Europe
El Universal, Venezuela: Maduro Uses Snowden Asylum to Distract Venezuelan People
El Nuevo Diario, Nicaragua: 'Imperial Nations' Mock International Law
El Nacional, Venezuela: Bienvenido to Venezuela, Double Agent Snowden!
Hoy, Ecuador: Snowden Highlights Ecuador's Decision-Making Paradox
Der Spiegel, Germany: 'Follow the Money': NSA Monitors Financial World
Guardian, U.K.: Edward Snowden 'Living Incognito in Russia'
BBC News, U.K.: Reporter Glenn Greenwald to Testify at Brazil Spy Probe
Der Spiegel, Germany: iSpy: How America's NSA Accesses Smartphone Data
Estadao, Brazil: Explaining John Kerry's Shellacking in Brazil
Cuba Debate, Cuba: Castro: 'Who Was Paid to Lie' about Snowden Being Allowed in Cuba?
Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Russia: The Prohibitive Global Price of Poor U.S.-Russia Relations
Der Spiegel, Germany: Codename 'Apalachee': How America Spies on Europe and the U.N.
Der Spiegel, Germany: Merkel Rival Calls for Suspension of Trade Talks
Telegraph, U.K.: NSA Employees Spied on their Lovers Using Eavesdropping Program
Reuters, U.K.: Close Cameron Aides Asked Paper to Destroy Snowden Data
People's Daily, China: America Must Come to the Table on Surveillance
Guardian, U.K.: Innocent have Nothing to Fear? After Miranda, We Know Where that Leads
Guardian, U.K.: Groklaw Legal Site Shuts Over Fears of NSA E-Mail Snooping
Guardian, U.K.: 'Sending a Message': What U.S. and U.K. are Attempting to Do
Guardian, U.K.: U.S. Senators Warn NSA Privacy Breaches Just 'Tip of the Iceberg'
Der Spiegel, Germany: Merkel and the NSA: The Scandal That Will Not Die
Guardian, U.K.: Dangers All Reporters Now Face: David Miranda and Journalism
Guardian, U.K.: David Miranda's Detention a 'Betrayal of Trust and Principle'
Guardian, U.K.: 'Attempt at Intimidation Will Result in More Disclosures'
Savon Sanomat, Finland: Better For Finland that Obama Goes to Sweden
Yezhednevniy Zhurnal, Russia: Snowden: Kremlin Tool for Reducing U.S. Web Dominance
Huanqiu, China: 'United Global Front' Defeats America in Snowden Affair
Die Tageszeitung, Germany: Manning Trial: Superficial Justice to Save American Face
El Pais, Spain: Manning Verdict a Warning to Future 'Heroes of Transparency'
Izvestia, Russia: Turning Mr. Snowden into a Tool of Russian 'Soft Power'
De Morgan, Belgium: U.S.-E.U. Meeting on NSA Surveillance a 'Sham'
Der Spiegel: Three PRISMS? Parliament Seeks Clarity in NSA Espionage Scandal
ABC, Spain: Fear of Vladivostok Escape for Snowden Drives U.S. Threats Against Venezuela
Moskovskij Komsomolets, Russia: Snowden: Putin's Perfect 'Anti-Magnitisky' Weapon
Gazeta, Russia: Chapman and Snowden in: 'The Ghost of Sheremetyevo'
Izvestia, Russia: South vs. North: Snowden's Place in History is Assured
Kommersant, Russia: Snowden's Presence May Scuttle Obama's Visit to Russia
Izvestia, Russia: 'Servile Europeans' Inflict Huge Insult on Bolivians
Wiener Zeitung, Austria: Edward Snowden is No Enemy of Our State!
La Stampa: Europe Will Rue Toppling Obama Over Snowden
The Hankyoreh, South Korea: What Hugo Chavez Would Say about U.S. Surveillance
Le Monde, France: French Big Brother is Watching You!
Guardian, U.K.: The NSA's Indiscriminate Mass Spying on Brazilians
Le Monde, France: French Political Class Holds 'Outrage Contest' Over NSA Spying
DNA, France: Espionage ... From Washington, With Love
Liberation, France: The NSA 'Panopticon'
Der Standard, Austria: Mass NSA Surveillance Implies 'Bizarre Presumption of Guilt'
Guardian,U.K.: NSA/GCHQ Metadata Reassurances are 'Breathtakingly Cynical'
Observer, U.K.: U.S. Attempts to Block Edward Snowden 'Bolsters' Case for Asylum
Der Tagesspiegel, Germany: NSA: Merkel Ignores the Nightmare of 'Stasi Squared'
Der Spiegel: What's All the Fuss About U.S. Spying?
Guardian, U.K.: Britain Blocks Crucial Espionage Talks between U.S. and Europe
Guardian, U.K.: France 'runs vast electronic spying operation using NSA-style Methods'
Guardian, U.K.: Venezuela and Nicaragua offer asylum to Edward Snowden
Elsevier, The Netherlands: Snowden's Revelations are of 'No Benefit to Society'
Der Spiegel, Germany: NSA Spying on Germany: How Much Did Angela Merkel Know?
Der Spiegel, Germany Bolivia Irate Over Forced Landing
Der Spiegel, Germany: Germany Rejects Asylum for Snowden
News, Switzerland: Humanity's Cyber-Hypocrisy Overload
El Comercio, Ecuador: Wanting to Keep U.S. Trade Privileges is Not Treason!
Der Spiegel, Germany: Spying 'Out of Control': EU Official Questions Trade Negotiations
Der Spiegel, Germany: Growing Alarm: German Prosecutors To Review Allegations of U.S. Spying
Guardian, U.K.: New NSA Leaks Show how U.S. is Bugging its European Allies
Der Spiegel, Germany: Partner and Target: NSA Snoops on 500 Million German Data Connections
Diario de Noticias, Portugal: America 'Summons World' to Renewed Cold War
Guardian, U.K.: Ecuador Rejects U.S. Trade Pact to Thwart Snowden 'Blackmail'
Guardian, U.K: Glenn Greenwald on Personal Side of Taking on NSA - Personal Smears
Guardian, U.K: How NSA Continues to Harvest Your Online Data
Guardian, U.K: Edward Snowden's Next Step: Live Q&A
Gazeta, Russia: Why Russia, China, and Others, Love 'Poking America in the Eye'
Guardian, U.K.: Snowden Affair Revives Politics of the Cold War
Guardian, U.K.: 'History will be Kind' to Edward Snowden
Guardian, U.K.: Latin America is ready to defy the US over Snowden and other issues
Guardian, U.K.: Putin Confirms Snowden in Moscow Airport; No Extradition
The New York Times, U.S.: China Said to Have Made Call to Let Leaker Depart
People's Daily, China: U.S. Internet Hypocrisy Creates Global Suspicion
Global Times, China: Internet 'Muckraking Frenzy' Damaging China's Global Interests
Huanqiu, China: 'Demented' Hacking Charges Betray U.S. Scheme for Cyber Domination
Guardian, U.K.: Snowden Leaves Hong Kong for Moscow: Seeks Asylum in Ecuador
Financial Times, U.K.: Snowden Fallout Impacts China and Russia
Russia Today, Russia: VIDEO: Former MI5 Agent Judges Snowden 'Canny'
Les Dernieres Nouvelles d'Alsace, France: Edward Snowden is Not the Issue
El Pais, Spain: Powerless, Europe Must Nevertheless Stand Up to NSA Spying Program
Global Times, China: Demonizing China Will Backfire on Americans
Global Times, China: Extraditing Snowden Would Be a Mistake
Xinhua, China: 'Idealistic' Edward Snowden Should be Welcomed by China
Mediapart, France: 'Autonomous Machines': World Reawakens to U.S. Web Dominance
Guardian, U.K.: Britain's GCHQ Intercepted Data from Foreign Politicians at G20 Summits
Le Monde, France: French Lawmakers Scramble Over News of NSA Surveillance
Le Temps, Switzerland: Last Resort for Confronting 'Electronic Big Brother'
The Frontier Post, Pakistan: On Global Spying for Selfish National Interest
Mediapart, France: The NSA is Spying on Us! What a Surprise!
El Espectador, Colombia: Please Consider Yourself Watched!
Le Monde, France: NSA Surveillance Storm Gathers Over Cloud Market
Folha, Brazil: Being 'Carioca' Helped Glenn Greenwald Break NSA Surveillance Story
Sol, Portugal: WikiLeaks and Facebook: What Came Before Will Soon Be Rubble
Guardian, U.K.: World Leaders Seek Answers on NSA Data Collection Programs
Guardian, U.K.: Artist Ai Weiwei: The U.S. is 'Behaving Like China'
Russia Today, Russia: Putin: Government Surveillance 'Should Not Break the Law'
Guardian, U.K.: Russia Offers to Consider Edward Snowden Asylum Request
Handelsblatt, Germany: Obama's Data Nightmare is Europe's
FAZ, Germany: Protect Us from Terrorism ... and Government Snooping
SCMP, Hong Kong: What Will Hong Kong do with Snowden? ... The World is Watching
SCMP, Hong Kong: Why Hong Kong? Chinese Wonder if Edward Snowden is in Wrong Place
Suedostschweiz, Switzerland: Exposed: Spy Powers that Obama Shouldn't Use
Le Temps, Switzerland: Exploring the Limits of Sino-U.S. Compromise
Business Day, South Africa: Obama Sets 'Dubious Example' on Freedom
Economist, U.K.: The Reason We Fear Broad Surveillance
Guardian, U.K.: The NSA's Secret Tool to Track Global Surveillance Data