Despite Snowden’s voluntarily offer to help Brazil in investigating National Security Agency’s (NSA) spying activities against the country, the land of beauty has no plans to grant him any kind of asylum.
Reuters- Brazil carries no plans for giving asylum to Snowden even after this former contractor of NSA has offered them to be part of the investigation which will be carried out for revealing facts about the Brazilian President spying by NSA.
As per the newspaper of Folha de S.Paulo where they have cited one of the officials of the Brazilian government saying that they do not have intention of carrying out investigation over the mass surveillance programs of NSA which were revealed by Snowden back in June. The official also said that neither they have any intention to grant asylum to Snowden.
Snowden in an open letter for the people of Brazil has offered helping in the congressional probe into the spying of the country by the NSA. He also offered help for investigation of the spying of President Dilma’s personal communication.
Snowden said in the letter that:
- “I have expressed my willingness to assist wherever appropriate and lawful, but unfortunately the United States government has worked very hard to limit my ability to do so”.
Snowden for the time being is living in Russia which has provided him temporary asylum that will expire in the month of August. He also previously asked Brazil for giving him asylum but was refused. Though Snowden did not asked again for asylum in this recent letter, but he has offered his collaboration in the investigation on grounds that should be offered asylum.
He said:
- “Until a country grants permanent political asylum, the U.S. government will continue to interfere with my ability to speak”.
Evidence about NSA monitoring president Rousseff’s cellphone and email, and the hacking of a sate run energy company Petrobras has induced anger into the people and has led the senate to carry out investigation about the extent of NSA spying. Some of the members of the Brazilian congress have asked for permission from Russia to allow them to interview Snowden, but no reply has yet been received from the Russian government.
In a message at Twitter, Ricardo Ferraco who is the chairman of senate committee for foreign relations has said:
- “Brazil should not miss the opportunity to grant asylum to Edward Snowden, who was key to unraveling the U.S. espionage system.”
However, other politicians who are mainly the opponent of the acting government have said that granting asylum to Snowden will not be beneficial for the country because it would cause a further lag between Brazil and USA who is their second largest trading partner, the largest being China.
A spokesman of the foreign ministry has said that no official letter of asylum has been received from Snowden and they therefore have nothing to consider.
Last month, the committee of UN. General assembly discussed that such surveillance and spying into foreign states and into the personal data of people is damaging for the human rights. This was followed by a joint resolution which was introduced by Germany and Brazil.
Jay carney who is the white house spokesman has dismissed the suggestion of granting amnesty to Snowden in case he returns the documents that are in his possession.
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