Brazil's government said it may contact fugitive former security contractor Edward Snowden as it probes allegations that the United States monitored phone calls and e-mail in Latin America's largest economy.
"Mr. Snowden's participation in an investigation is absolutely relevant and pertinent," Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota said in Senate testimony to discuss allegations that were first reported by O Globo newspaper last week.
Patriota's interest in speaking to Snowden comes as governments across Latin America, even those with close ties to the United States such as Colombia and Mexico, demand explanations about the extent of American surveillance activities in the region. U.S. surveillance activities may also be discussed when the presidents of Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela and other South American nations gather July 12 in Uruguay for a summit of the Mercosur trade bloc, Patriota said.
Bloomberg News
