South America responds

S. American states to recall ambassadors from Europe over Bolivian plane incident

South American countries belonging to the Mercosur trade bloc have decided to withdraw their ambassadors for consultations from European countries involved in the grounding of the Bolivian president’s plane.

RT,

12 July, 2013

"We've taken a number of actions in order to compel public explanations and apologies from the European nations that assaulted our brother Evo Morales," explained Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, who revealed some of the agenda debated during the 45th summit of Mercosur countries in Uruguay's capital, Montevideo.

The decision to recall European ambassadors was taken by Maduro, Argentina’s President Cristina Fernandez, Brazilian President Dilma Rouseff, and Uruguay’s President, Jose Mujica, during the meeting.

Member states attending the summit expressed their grievances with “actions by the governments of France, Spain, Italy and Portugal” over the July 2 incident, when the aircraft carrying President Evo Morales back to Bolivia after attending an energy summit in Moscow was denied entry into the airspace of a number of EU member states.

The small aircraft, which required a stop-over before completing its flight, was forced to make an emergency landing in Austria after a circuitous flight path.

It was later revealed that the European countries’ actions were prompted by accusations made by the US ambassador to Austria, William Eacho, who alleged that American whistleblower Edward Snowden had been taken on board to help him gain political asylum in Latin America.

“The gravity of the incident - indicative of a neocolonial mindset - constitutes an unfriendly and hostile act, which violates human rights and impedes freedom of travel, as well as the treatment and immunity appropriate to a head of state,” the Mercosur nations affirmed in the joint statement.

The incident was further described as a “discriminatory and arbitrary” decision by European countries, as well as a “blatant violation of international law.”

 

Mexico abuzz over accusations of spying tied to Snowden

LA Times,

26 January, 2013

MEXICO CITY — Mexicans are shocked — shocked! — to learn that their American neighbors have been spying on them. What’s more, the Americans have been helping the Mexican government become better at spying!

Mexico is the latest Latin America country to be dragged into the scandal revolving around Edward Snowden, the fugitive contract worker for the National Security Agency who leaked U.S. intelligence secrets and is hiding out in the Moscow airport.

The Brazilian newspaper O Globo reported this week that the vast network of U.S. surveillance exposed by Snowden has targeted Mexico, with the goal of obtaining information on its petroleum and energy resources as well as drug trafficking. The paper reported similar snooping in Brazil, Colombia and elsewhere, involving military operations, purported terrorism and other fields.

The news spread like wildfire in Mexico, filling the front pages of newspapers and the airwaves of talk radio shows. But spying in Mexico, by Mexicans and foreigners, has a long and storied history. Some of the best political scandals were the result of surreptitious listening, photographing and recording.

Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, who took office in December, said the U.S. espionage in Mexico, if true, would be “totally unacceptable.” The Foreign Ministry said it had demanded an explanation from the Obama administration, condemning “energetically” any deviation from “legal and respectful” U.S.-Mexican relations.

Senators, congressmen and assorted politicians voiced similar versions of outrage. The presidents of Argentina and Brazil, Cristina Fernandez and Dilma Rousseff, respectively, have also demanded explanations from Washington after the spy programs were revealed as having targeted their countries.

Latin American leaders were already miffed after the airplane carrying Bolivian President Evo Morales from Moscow last week was forced to land in Vienna and searched by authorities when Snowden was suspected of being on board. The action, presumably taken at the Obama administration’s behest, was seen as a shabby way to treat a head of state.

Here in Mexico, many people were focusing on reports that former President Felipe Calderon, whom Peña Nieto succeeded, authorized the Americans to install equipment for tapping phones and computers. MVS Radio reported on scores of training courses, including some involving secret surveillance techniques, that members of Calderon’s government took under U.S. tutelage.

Calderon’s six-year administration worked hand-in-glove with U.S. civilian and military officials as part of a deadly, nationwide offensive against powerful drug cartels.