Media reports in Brazil were buzzing with information that the US seized web traffic and phone calls across Latin America. The targets of US spying included oil and energy firms, Venezuela's military purchases and information on Mexico's drug wars, according to BBC.
The Brazilian reports which are based on the infamous leaks by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden stated that the US created a "data-collection base" in Brasilia.
The US facility is housed in the capital of Brazil and is reportedly a part of a 16 such bases maintained by the National Security Agency (NSA) around the world to intercept transmissions from foreign satellites, according to The O Globo newspaper. The paper also revealed that it had evidence that this network of bases was in operation until at least 2002, although it could not be confirmed whether the bases were still functional.
The noted NSA surveillance was conducted by Brazilian telecom companies who partnered with US agencies. Brazil has been dubbed the main target of US spying in Latin America, and now the Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff is urging the US to explain, he has also ordered an investigation into the claims.
Brazilian leaders are up in arms over the NSA leaks, some senators even suggested providing Snowden asylum during a parliament meeting Wednesday. Other senators suggested creating a lucrative defense contract with the US. While the whole truth is yet to be uncovered, Rousseff stated that if the spying allegations are true they would represent "violations of sovereignty and human rights."
Like Brazil, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto is seeking answers from the US. He explained that the foreign ministry had asked "quite clearly" for an account about the spying allegations. Nieto continued, "And we want to know if this is the case, and if it is so, it would obviously be totally unacceptable."
Like US citizen, Latin American officials are seeking spying answers. Officials in Argentina are demanding answers from the US after the NSA leaks, "It sends chills up my spine when we learn that they are spying on us through their intelligence services in Brazil," Argentine President Cristina Kirchner said.
The US spy leaks will be on the agenda for discussion at the summit of the Mercosur trade bloc on Friday. Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Venezuela are included in the summit, in addition, the leaders of Bolivia and Honduras were also invited.
"The Mercosur meeting is an opportunity to take a common stand. Any attack on the sovereignty of one country must be answered with great firmness, because if we lower our heads, they will walk all over us," warned Brazil's presidential chief of staff Gilberto Carvalho.
As Latin American officials prepare to discuss the truth regarding the US spying, Snowden is rumored to have accepted asylum in Venezuela, after the country's leader reached out to the 30-year-old fugitive.
RELATED:
Snowden Accepted Venezuela Asylum Offer, Says Russian Parliamentary Spokesman Alexei Pushkov In Twitter Post
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, Accused Boston Marathon Bomber, Pleads Not Guilty To All 30 Counts
Michelle Knight, Cleveland Kidnapping Victim, Refuses To See Mother And Sister After Being Freed From 11-Year Captivity [VIDEO]
© 2024 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
