Brazil pursues cyber defense alliance with Argentina

Criado em 13/09/13 09h35 e atualizado em 13/09/13 09h38
Por Monica Yanakiew Edição:s Fonte:Agência Brasil

Buenos Aires – Brazil is pursuing cooperation with Argentina on cyberdefense to protect its electronic information from being monitored, said Defense Minister Celso Amorim, who arrived Thursday (September 12) in Buenos Aires for a two-day visit. The issue became a hot topic following reports that the US National Security Agency (NSA) had been spying on both Brazil's president Dilma Rousseff and state-run oil giant Petrobras.

The espionage stories were reported by the media based on sensitive documentation disclosed to US journalist Glenn Greenwald by Edward Snowden, former IT contractor for NSA.

According to Amorim, cyber defense “is the 21st century's key defense area”, but Brazil is still “getting started”. This is why the country is seeking to partner with its neighbor next door. “We want to align ourselves with Argentina in addressing the issue,” the minister said. He pointed out that – in addition to seeking clarification from the US – President Rousseff called for “extra care with defense issues.”

To this end, Amorim met with the Argentinean president, Cristina Kirchner, on Thursday (September 12). On Friday, he is meeting with Argentina's ministers of Foreign Relations (Hector Timerman) and Defense (Agustín Rossi). The commander of Brazil's Cyber Defense Center of Brazil's Army, general José Carlos dos Santos, will also take part.

At least a hundred Argentinean politicians and personality are also reported to have been surveilled, said Timerman at the latest Mercosur presidents' meeting which took place in Uruguay in July.

Editors: Aécio Amado / Nira Foster
Translator: Mayra Borges

Tags: brazil, EBC, Agência Brasil, Argentina, minister of Defense, Celso Amorim, electronic espionage, electronic surveillance, Dilma Rousseff, Snowden leaks, cyber defense

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