Brazil halts planning for Rousseff’s US visit
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Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff has halted advance preparations for a Washington visit, officials said yesterday, amid a row over reports she was targeted by US spies.
A spokeswoman for Rousseff said a trip by a Brazilian delegation to prepare for the president’s October 23 visit to Washington “was canceled.”
The spokeswoman did not say why the trip was canceled, but it comes after Brazil demanded explanations from Washington over reports that the US National Security Agency spied on her communications.
Rousseff, who is in Saint Petersburg, Russia, for a G20 meeting that includes US President Barack Obama, “wants a retraction by the government of the United States,” the spokeswoman said.
A Brazilian foreign ministry spokesman said “the technical mission was postponed” and added “the expectation is it will take place” later.
“We are waiting for a formal explanation from the US government,” he said.
Asked whether Rousseff would meet with Obama on the sidelines of the G20 meeting, the presidential spokeswoman said “there is still nothing planned but she still has until tomorrow.”
US national security spokesman Ben Rhodes said in St Petersburg the White House had not been informed of any delay to planning for Rousseff’s Washington visit and talks with Obama.
The October 23 visit would be Rousseff’s first to Washington, and the first state visit by a foreign leader this year.
American journalist Glenn Greenwald, who obtained files on US electronic surveillance programs from former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, reported last Sunday the NSA was using a program to access all Internet content Rousseff visited online.
He told Globo television the NSA was trying to better understand Rousseff’s methods of communication and interlocutors. The NSA program allegedly allowed agents to access the entire communications network of the president and her staff, including telephone, Internet and social network exchanges, the Rio-based journalist said.
He said Mexico’s President Enrique Pena Nieto was similarly targeted.
In July, the newspaper O Globo reported leaked NSA documents provided by Greenwald showed the NSA had a base in Brazil to intercept foreign satellite transmissions at least until 2002.
On Monday, both Brazil and Mexico summoned the US ambassadors in their respective countries to demand an explanation for the latest disclosures.
Brazilian Foreign Minister Luis Figueiredo said, if proven, the report Rousseff was spied on “represents and unacceptable and unallowable violation of Brazilian sovereignty.”
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