Brazil's Rousseff Trashes US Before Obama Speech - East Idaho News
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Brazil’s Rousseff Trashes US Before Obama Speech

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GETTY W 092712 UNHq?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1380053371349iStockphoto/Thinkstock(UNITED NATIONS) — Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff is incensed by NSA surveillance programs, and Tuesday she let her anger boil over on the world stage.

In a scathing speech at the U.N., delivered moments before President Obama took to the podium, Rousseff accused the U.S. of violating international law and the fundamental values of democracy.

“What we have before us, Mr. President, is a serious case of violation of human rights and civil liberties; a case of invasion and capture of confidential secret information pertaining to business activities; and above all, a case of disrespect to national sovereignty, the national sovereignty of my country,” she told the General Assembly.

“We have let the U.S. government know about our protest by demanding explanations, apologies and guarantees that such acts or procedures will never be repeated again,” she added.

So far, the White House has resisted any public apology or acknowledgement of the surveillance activity itself.  Officials have only said that they “regret” the concerns raised by Brazil in the wake of unauthorized disclosures of NSA activities by Edward Snowden.

Despite aggressive, personal outreach from Obama and top U.S. diplomats to explain American intelligence operations, Rousseff has remained defiant.  One week ago she cancelled a state visit to the U.S. planned for October, citing displeasure over spying.  

“Meddling in such a manner in the affairs of other countries is a breach of international law and as such it is an affront to the principles that should otherwise govern relations among countries, especially among friendly nations,” she said Tuesday.

“The argument that illegal interception of information and data is allegedly intended to protect nations against terrorism is untenable,” she said, alluding to U.S. claims.

“Without the right to privacy, there is no real freedom of speech or freedom of opinion and, therefore, there is no actual democracy,” she said. “Without respect to sovereignty, there is no base for proper relations among nations.”

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