Skip to content

Comment on Brazilian president: US surveillance a 'breach of international law'

Comments

Captain Obvious to the Rescue! Does the Brazilian president have a response to the American president's implied statement of: 'What are you going to do about it, Brazil'?

No one is in a position to tell US to "stick it", so no.

As a brazilian, I see that even though the speech is based on legit concerns, the bravado will end up more useful to secure Dilma's position in leadership (her popularity dropped this year, and by taking a jab at US she'll recover popularity with a portion of the electorate, who have a hatred for america) and make Brazil look like a beacon of freedom and transparency to the international community (or at least, strengthen it's multilateral diplomacy with the anti-US crowd).

The government will probably try to push a top-down agenda for (unilaterally) legislating and regulating Internet usage in Brazil in the next months, using the opportunity to force IT companies to move inside the country and heat the economy.

All in all, the Snowden scandal has been blown out of proportion by the media, and will now be used by leaders for all kinds of power play and political agendas. Anyone who understands the fundamentals of the internet can tell espionage is a feature that comes for free, and it's not like, suddenly, all countries in the world can get outraged to know the NSA has been spying. In fact, espionage is central to the diplomatic game, it only gets harder to justify on domestic affairs. US citizens have more right to be outraged than anyone else.

No one is in a position to tell US to "stick it", so no.

Of course we are.

A good start would be if a bunch of countries got together and stopped using a USD.

Also changing trade deals with the US would send a message.

Yeah, except it's pretty much a given that all govt's who can spy do spy as much as they can on each other, overtly and covertly.

She's just using this to foment fervor in her favor.

Who cares if other countries use the RMB or Euro as trade currency. And no country with significant trade with any other is going to commit economic self-inflicted wounds to "send a message". The US doesn't retaliate economically against any significant partner itself, neither does China. It'd be silly.

More reasons to use Bitcoin.

Its already doing..

The president cancelled a diplomatic presidents honorary visit to USA

Tough speech in ONU from a state chief against surveillance over civilians, companies, and the top state politicians, including the president

* International companies will need to keep the data of brazilian citizens in datacenters domestically located.

* More Infrastructure investments: Optical cables all over.. so what doesnt need to pass through US will not route there (also a bunch of satelites)

* When we have a choice, comercially we will probably avoid buying anything from US

* We are not in XX century anymore, the industrial age is gone, some other country will rise in this new age (information?), so USA will need to review its arrogant and interventionist movements, as it will lose more and more its position of top dog.. the seat is kind of empty now.

So the next USA president better watch out for its own attitude, cause you guys are more and more dependent of other commercial partner countries ;)

For historical reasons, brazil has a wound from the militar dictatorship (with the USA interventionism of the 60's helping on the cup-d'etate), with the current president(a woman) victim of torture by the military regime when she was a student (for fighting to free its country from dictatorship).. so thats why privacy is a pretty serious matter here, for every educated citizen..

Brazil is like they say over texas.. we are peaceful, and cool people.. but dont mess with Brazil

Tough Speech but soft actions.

If she was so 'tough' why she did not grant asylum to snowden??

I am very sure All us is scared about Brazilian almight Power.

and Sure the next president will mind to not 'offend' brazilian communist party..

If she was so 'tough' why she did not grant asylum to >snowden??

This leak over the spy actions happened months after snowden has vanished in Russia..

Im sure if it was now, he may get it..

but also, dont know if it would be diplomatic proportional.. since i dont think any councious president, with a big country in hands at least, would risk commercial relations, because of that.. i dont think its very wise..

also its not a communisty party.. it has very little of the left wing.. its more like the french Hollande kind of left (literally none)

I was not saying that Brazil was something to fear about.. only, that the times are tough now.. everybody need every help they can .. even the richiest and independent countries

No It DID NOT.

Snowden Tried All south americas country. And only Bolivia tried to send a plane but was stopped at Europe.

Serious Do you really believe or you are paid to defend Our 'glorious' Govt.

Brazilian Here too

I dont need to get paid to defend what is right

It doesnt matter who is in charge, but at least in this particular event it was the only country who oficially stand against this mass surveillance...

Remember France and Germany? oh they were so quiet..

Defend what is right even if it has serious implications in international affairs with such important and powerful country..

This was actually good to watch, didnt you feel good about it? She said what every one of us think about it, but was afraid to say so..

(It was like watch that nerdy, skinny guy stand against the big bully one)

Im not defending a particular government, im defending a particular position, and it was the right thing to do!

Bolivia's plane was stopped on the way back through Europe under suspicion that it had been sent for Snowden. I don't think it has been shown that Bolivia was making an attempt.

A part of me thinks just like you. If she is so mad about it - as she should be -, why didn't she offer asylum to Snowden?

The other part of me thinks it is prudent to keep an amicable relationship with the most powerful nation on earth. In those terms, I think it is very welcome that she expresses her angry through words. She is not hiding it or playing along with the USA by diminishing the impact of the surveillance.

AboutSource Built by g1lg1l

Hackerly is an independent reader for Hacker News, built on the public HN API. Not affiliated with Y Combinator.