"I never
knew of CIA spying on my administration, as I would only have known if it was
done with our government's knowledge, which it was not. If such activities
existed, if they were done, as with all espionage, it was outside the law. I find
it unacceptable that there were no court orders issued permitting the monitoring
of communications between people (…). To my knowledge, the only episode concerning
agreements with the American government were made by then-Minister of Justice
Nelson Jobim, and referred to an understanding with
the DEA - the American Drug Enforcement Administration - which existed before the
minister sought my authorization, and when he asked me to rescind it, which I
immediately did.
It
is up to the Brazilian government, when such a complaint is made, to formally
protest such invasions of sovereignty, and stop these rights violations from occurring,
even knowing that current technological means endow the state, as well as private
organizations, with instruments that empower them to try and escape legal oversight."
"It is the height
of absurdity that a country like ours is under surveillance. This is an
unsustainable situation."
Carlos Langoni - director of World Economics Center at FGV [Getúlio Vargas Foundation]
and former president of Brazil Central Bank:
"Information
technology has become an instrument of power, and the disadvantages that emerging
countries face in relation to the superpowers are brutal. Brazil is completely
vulnerable to cyber attack … The problem goes beyond privacy. We live in a
world in which digital technology advances at an astonishing pace, and governments
are unprepared. And those who possess this technology use it as they wish … . It
is very unlikely that a resolution to this can be arrived at through international
agreements."
"It's
incredible. If it were a company - an individual doing this, it would be a gigantic
scandal. But since it is the United States, it's different. It seems that there
is a tendency to cover this up a bit, especially on the part of European
nations. People must have their privacy respected."
Marcos Nobre - philosopher and professor at Unicamp:
"This
surveillance program that has now hit Brazil exposes a political dispute over
the Internet, in the sense of a political dispute over Net neutrality. There is
a very strong association between the Internet giants and the state, in such a
way that it is impossible to maintain neutrality. There is also a two-front dispute
about the logic of the Internet. On the one hand, there is the logic of consumption,
in which Internet companies can pay people for their data, and on the other, the
logic of network solidarity."
"What scares me are the methods of control
over the use of the Internet and communications via satellite. The digital
system is vulnerable and that's frightening. I have no idea how to handle this
in a way that is solely positive and that will prevent this type of crime."
Roberto Cabot - artist
that pioneered use of the Internet in his work:
"I'm not
really a 'nationalist,' but having our digital traffic completely controlled by
another country seems like a disadvantage to me. It never ceases to amaze me to
see how honest people seem to be divided on this state of affairs. Nor do I
believe we have any choice but complete transparency for everything and everyone.
Privacy as it existed up to the end of the 20th century is over. The only
defense against transparency of the individual will be complete transparency of
things and institutions."
Carlos Affonso Souza - professor of law at FGV:
"In political terms, it is
important for Brazil to hold a strong position on this issue. The level of
disapproval and the degree of repudiation the government shows will demonstrate
the importance and relevance of privacy. This is a call for all governments to
realize that the Internet is not just a network of freedom, but it can also be a
network of control."
"This
episode also exposes to us the tragedy of the control over the contemporary life
of each person, from the end of the right to privacy, to the submission of our
identity to the large companies of this industry. ... Aside from the political
boldness of one country meddling in the business of another, we also have to
think about how to ensure the victory for freedom represented by the Internet,
given the dependence of liberty's instruments on the interests of big business.
Personally, I think that the correct digital education should not involve teaching
our young people to go on YouTube, but to show them how to create original
alternatives to YouTube."
Paulo Skaf
- president of the Federation of Industries in the State of São Paulo:
"Any type
of spying is reprehensible, an abuse, whether it is against individuals or
companies, and whether it is committed by any government. The Brazilian Constitution
guarantees the right to confidentiality of communications. The Brazilian
government has asked the American government for explanations. This we must do,
and wait to hear back from the United States - if they in fact are able to
explain what happened. But Brazilian oversight shouldn't stop there. The issue
has to be better understood. You can't keep snooping around and not offer an
explanation. The American government will have to make up for this somehow.
Posted By Worldmeets.US
Pedro Serrano - professor
of constitutional law at PUC-SP:
"It is not enough
to express regret. This is an act of aggression, of profound disrespect. The
Brazilian government must act with virulence. If it doesn't, all rights and
guarantees of Brazilians are being disrespected. Brazil must summon the ambassador
to Washington and denounce the United States in global courts. If there is an
American agent that has carried out espionage in Brazil, we cannot let him
leave the country. ... We must produce tougher legislation for the foreign
agents that work here. This rupture in the confidentiality of communication by
foreigners on Brazilian soil must not be subject to delays, because it took us
years to discover it."
Camilo
Tavares - director of O diaquedurou
21 anos [The
Day that Lasted 21 Years], about the CIA-engineered coup d'état conspiracy
to topple President JoãoGoulart
in 1964
"I can say,
based on documents recently made public, that at least since 1962, the United
States has had a contingency plan for Brazil, which means a precious archive of
secret information exists on the Brazilian government. … This could only have
been compiled by agents that have infiltrated and/or with espionage systems. …
This information is included in communications from military attachés - as was
the case with Vernon
Walters (during the JoãoGoulart era). ... And I
have no doubt that when we receive U.S. technology ... we also end up importing
their monitoring systems."
Ziraldo - writer and cartoonist:
"The thing Brazilians
should not do is worry. We need to find out who facilitated life for Americans
here in Brazil. … Without that, nothing can move forward. They are very
powerful. We cannot, and do not know, how to master this virtual life. This has
been happening for many years. During the dictatorship, they had complete
freedom to photograph anything in the country - and Brazilians knew this. Are
we to be frightened now?"
