Brazil President DilmaRousseff: Revelations that
the NSA spied on phone
calls and e-mails between
Rouseff and her aides may put the kibosh on her
state visit to the United
States scheduled for next month. It would be yet
another NSA-related diplomatic black eye for the Obama White House.
President Rousseff's U.S. State Visit Imperiled
By NSA Spying (O Globo,
Brazil)
"If the facts are confirmed, it would reveal an
unacceptable and inadmissible situation in regard to our sovereignty. When the
interception of data is due not to the investigation of illegal activity, but
rather of things of a political and business dimension, the situation is without
a doubt much more serious. They told us, verbatim, that no interceptions were
undertaken for political and economic purposes on behalf of American companies.
They have offered no conclusive response."
Secretary of State Kerry listens as Brazil Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota tells him that the United States must 'terminate' its espionage activities against 'citizens of Brazil and other countries.'
BRASÍLIA:
Due to a report Sunday on the TV Globo program Fantástico, the Brazilian government has called the
espionage carried out by the United States on phone calls, e-mails and cell phone
messages between President DilmaRousseff
and her aides a violation of sovereignty. The president called an emergency
meeting early Monday with her ministers, and Itamaraty
[the Foreign Ministry] demanded written explanations from American Ambassador
Thomas Shannon. In response to the American spying, Dilma
may even suspend an official meeting with President Barack Obama in Washington scheduled
for October, depending on the explanations the U.S. government offers about the
affair.
In
an interview with the press, Foreign Minister Luiz
Alberto Figueiredo and Justice Minister José Eduardo
Cardozo said that Brazil wants a written explanation from the U.S. government
this week, and that the country is willing to take up the issue at
international forums.
Despite
the outrage expressed by the Brazilian government, no concrete measures
have yet been announced. When asked about the trip to Washington, Figueiredo said he wouldn't address the issue, but confirmed
that the Brazilian reaction would depend on Washington's explanation.
“The
type of reaction will depend on the type of response. That is why we want a
formal response in writing. From there, it can be evaluated, and from there, we
will see what kind of reaction to adopt,” the chancellor said.
Dilma hasn't spoken publicly about the matter,
but indignant about the situation, she is genuinely considering suspending her
trip to the United States. However, Ministers Figueiredo
and Cardozo affirmed the need to see what the United States does before taking
any action.
“From
our point of view, this (espionage) represents an illegal and unacceptable violation
of Brazilian sovereignty. This type of practice is incompatible with the trust
needed for a strategic partnership between the two countries. The Brazilian
government wants formal explanations, in writing, about the facts revealed in
the report,” said Figueiredo.
According
to the chancellor, the conversation with U.S. Ambassador Shannon was frank and
direct. He said he made it clear that the Brazilian government considers what
it sees as a violation of national sovereignty inadmissible and unacceptable.
“In
conversation, he (Shannon) understood what was said, because things were stated
in very clear terms. It is often thought that diplomacy is about explaining
things in circular terms. It is not. When things need to be said in a very
clear manner, they are. He took note of everything I said. Today (Labor Day) is
a holiday in the United States, but he promised to communicate with the White
House tomorrow (Sept. 3) to relate our conversation, so that they send in writing the
formal dossier the case demands,” Figueiredo said. “I
want the American government to explain this. Not necessarily the ambassador.
He conveyed what Brazil wants from the United States."
Cardozo
said that if the information disseminated on Fantástico is true, Brazil will
take the issue to international forums. [Video from Fantastico broadcast is below. English captions can be turned on with Youtube caption menu].
Posted By
Worldmeets.US
“If
the facts are confirmed, it would reveal an unacceptable and inadmissible
situation in regard to our sovereignty. When the interception of data is due
not to the investigation of illegal activity, but rather of things of a
political and business dimension, the situation is without a doubt much more
serious. They told us, verbatim, that no interceptions were undertaken for
political and economic purposes on behalf of American companies. They have offered
no conclusive response. Let us wait for explanations.”
In
addition to Cardozo and Figueiredo, the meeting with President
Dilma included Defense Minister CelsoAmorin, and Communications Minister Paulo Bernardo.
Justice
Minister Cardozo briught up the fact that last week, he
was in the United States and met with Vice President Joe Biden. On the
occasion, Cardozo proposed data sharing with the Americans on issues involving suspected
illegality, but Biden said he wouldn't make a deal like this with Brazil or any
other country. During the conversation, according to Cardozo, the American vice
president denied that his government did any wiretapping of phone calls or
messages of Brazilian citizens.
Three tracking
programs
In
July, O Globo reported that for the past decade, the
U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) has been spying
on Brazilian citizens. According to documents collected by former NSA technician Edward Snowden, telephone calls and e-mails
were tracked through at least three programs. Brazil appears prominently on NSA maps as an important target for telephony and data trafficking,
alongside countries like China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan.
When
Secretary of State John
Kerry was in the country on an official visit last month, he denied that
the U.S. had accessed the contents of Brazilian communications data. According
to Kerry, his country merely takes preventive action to prevent terrorist
attacks. He said that his government acts like any other country in its
collection of information.
Figueiredo said that Brazil will discuss the issue
with other countries. Although, according to Fantástico, while Mexico has also
been targeted by American espionage, the Brazilian chancellor still hasn't
spoken with his Mexican colleague.
“We
are going to chat with our partners in developed countries, such as the BRICS (which includes Russia, India, China and South Africa)
and evaluate how we can protect ourselves from this type of situation, and what
kind of joint action can be taken to deal with an issue as severe as this.
