Espionage Violates Human Rights, Says Brazil's President

07/09/2013 - 09h02

Regarding the information on U.S. espionage in Brazil, the president of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff, said she doesn't agree with "interferences of this type." The government has decided to investigate the case. "If other countries and other foreign companies are involved, then there certainly was violation of sovereignty as well as of human rights," she said.

She also said it is necessary to follow the case without "haste and foregone conclusions."

"We don't agree with interference of this type in Brazil or in any other country," she said.

An article in the "O Globo" newspaper said that Brazil is one of the main espionage targets of the NSA, a U.S. security agency.

The case made the government react on several fronts. The Federal Police will investigate the accusations of espionage of electronic and telephone communications in Brazil, investigating if Brazilian companies participated in the scheme.

Pedro Ladeira/Folhapress

American ambassador in Brazil, Thomas Shannon

The Brazilian Telecommunications Agency has started procedures to investigate if Brazilian telecommunication companies supplied data to the U.S., violating the data and communication secrecy of Brazilian citizens.

The National Union of Telephone Companies and Mobile and Personal Service said it is "perplexed and outraged" with the news of alleged espionage.

Rousseff also said the government has already sent a request for explanations to the Brazilian ambassador in the U.S. and to the American ambassador in Brazil.
She also said that she has decided to send the case to the International Telecommunications Union, requesting cybernetic security measures to be taken.

"At the same time, we will present a proposal to the UN Human Rights Commission, as one of the fundamental precepts is the guarantee of freedom of speech, and individual rights, especially privacy, provided for in our Constitution."

In the U.S., a spokesman for the State Department said the government "gathers intelligence like every country." "We have been talking to Brazilians about these events."

Translated by THOMAS MUELLO

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