SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Brazil's President Rousseff arriving at the G20 in St. Petersburg on Thursday. (Photo: Ichiro Guerra/Blog do Planalto/cc/flickr)
NSA Surveillance Blowback: Brazil's President May Cancel Washington Visit
A day after Rousseff demands public apology for being target of NSA surveillance, Brazil cancels advance team's trip to US
Sep 05, 2013
In the fallout of the revelations of vast spying by the NSA, there are signs Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff may be canceling her scheduled Oct. 23 visit to Washington.
On Sunday, journalist Glenn Greenwald reported that the NSA had spied on the phone calls and electronic communications of Rousseff as well as Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto.
Reuters reported Wednesday that Rousseff would possibly cancel her formal trip to the White House in October unless she received a public apology for the surveillance.
An unnamed senior Brazilian official told the news agency, "She is completely furious."
"This is a major, major crisis .... There needs to be an apology. It needs to be public. Without that, it's basically impossible for her to go to Washington in October," Reuters reports the official as saying.
And on Thursday, another sign the visit could be canceled emerged.
Various news agencies are reporting that Brazil canceled a visit by a team of aides in preparation for Rousseff's trip. The team was expected to head to Washington this weekend.
Reason for the cancellation was not given, though the Associated Press reports it is a "further sign of the escalating tension with the U.S." in the wake of the spying revelations.
Whether or not the October meeting is canceled, Rousseff and President Obama have the chance for a confrontation over the espionage as they are among the leaders at the G20 summit in St. Petersburg, Russia on Thursday.
"The President, I think, will be able to see President Rousseff on the margins of the G20, I'm sure, and to discuss these [NSA spying] issues," said Ben Rhodes, deputy national security adviser for Strategic Communications.
The spying controversy is unlikely to die down anytime soon, as Greenwald tweeted on Thursday that "there's an even bigger Brazil/NSA story coming Sunday."
____________________________
Â
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
In the fallout of the revelations of vast spying by the NSA, there are signs Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff may be canceling her scheduled Oct. 23 visit to Washington.
On Sunday, journalist Glenn Greenwald reported that the NSA had spied on the phone calls and electronic communications of Rousseff as well as Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto.
Reuters reported Wednesday that Rousseff would possibly cancel her formal trip to the White House in October unless she received a public apology for the surveillance.
An unnamed senior Brazilian official told the news agency, "She is completely furious."
"This is a major, major crisis .... There needs to be an apology. It needs to be public. Without that, it's basically impossible for her to go to Washington in October," Reuters reports the official as saying.
And on Thursday, another sign the visit could be canceled emerged.
Various news agencies are reporting that Brazil canceled a visit by a team of aides in preparation for Rousseff's trip. The team was expected to head to Washington this weekend.
Reason for the cancellation was not given, though the Associated Press reports it is a "further sign of the escalating tension with the U.S." in the wake of the spying revelations.
Whether or not the October meeting is canceled, Rousseff and President Obama have the chance for a confrontation over the espionage as they are among the leaders at the G20 summit in St. Petersburg, Russia on Thursday.
"The President, I think, will be able to see President Rousseff on the margins of the G20, I'm sure, and to discuss these [NSA spying] issues," said Ben Rhodes, deputy national security adviser for Strategic Communications.
The spying controversy is unlikely to die down anytime soon, as Greenwald tweeted on Thursday that "there's an even bigger Brazil/NSA story coming Sunday."
____________________________
Â
In the fallout of the revelations of vast spying by the NSA, there are signs Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff may be canceling her scheduled Oct. 23 visit to Washington.
On Sunday, journalist Glenn Greenwald reported that the NSA had spied on the phone calls and electronic communications of Rousseff as well as Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto.
Reuters reported Wednesday that Rousseff would possibly cancel her formal trip to the White House in October unless she received a public apology for the surveillance.
An unnamed senior Brazilian official told the news agency, "She is completely furious."
"This is a major, major crisis .... There needs to be an apology. It needs to be public. Without that, it's basically impossible for her to go to Washington in October," Reuters reports the official as saying.
And on Thursday, another sign the visit could be canceled emerged.
Various news agencies are reporting that Brazil canceled a visit by a team of aides in preparation for Rousseff's trip. The team was expected to head to Washington this weekend.
Reason for the cancellation was not given, though the Associated Press reports it is a "further sign of the escalating tension with the U.S." in the wake of the spying revelations.
Whether or not the October meeting is canceled, Rousseff and President Obama have the chance for a confrontation over the espionage as they are among the leaders at the G20 summit in St. Petersburg, Russia on Thursday.
"The President, I think, will be able to see President Rousseff on the margins of the G20, I'm sure, and to discuss these [NSA spying] issues," said Ben Rhodes, deputy national security adviser for Strategic Communications.
The spying controversy is unlikely to die down anytime soon, as Greenwald tweeted on Thursday that "there's an even bigger Brazil/NSA story coming Sunday."
____________________________
Â
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.