Brazil asks U.S. for clarifications over electronic espionage

Criado em 08/07/13 09h13 e atualizado em 09/07/13 08h28
Por Mariana Branco Fonte:Agência Brasil

Brasília – The Brazilian government has demanded an explanation from the United States regarding the surveillance of the communications among Brazilian citizens by the National Security Agency (NSA). According to Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota, requests for clarifications were made to the White House by Brazil’s Embassy in Washington and to the American ambassador in Brazil.

Patriota said that Itamaraty (Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Relations) received “with great concern” the news that Brazilians were having their telephone and electronic communications monitored by the NSA. The minister was in the city of Paraty last Sunday (July 7), in the state of Rio de Janeiro, where the 11th Paraty International Literary Festival (Flip) was taking place, when he commented on the news of the US secret surveillance programs.

According to Patriota, the Brazilian government will take the initiative at the United Nations to establish clear rules on the conduct of countries regarding communications among their citizens and the preservation of national sovereignty. Itamaraty is planning on asking the International Telecommunication Union (UIT), in Genera, Switzerland, for the improvement of international rules on the safety of telecommunications.

The scandal over the surveillance of private communication among citizens and companies in and out of the country by the U.S. government was brought to light by former technical contractor for the NSA, Edward Snowden. The data were being monitored through Prism, a surveillance program kept in utmost secrecy by NSA. An article published by the Brazilian O Globo newspaper last Sunday reported that Brazil was among the main targets of the surveillance.

Translators: Fabricio Ferreira / Allen Bennett