The Costa Rica News (TCRN) – The president of Costa Rica, Laura Chinchilla, weighed in on the international debate on espionage and the case of Edward Snowden in United States.
“I think the healthiest thing happening is that it has opened a broad discussion on what should be the balance between the protection of the security of a nation and its citizens, as opposed to respecting the rights of other nations,” said Chinchilla.
Costa Rica is ready to join the discussion of this situation in the framework of “civilized dialogue” and “without demagoguery,” said the president.
“We understand the need they had (the Americans) to raise a number of measures to protect the nation, but is also prevalent in other nations the right to privacy of communications,” he argued.
Chinchilla was speaking at a press conference after the weekly meeting with her ministers, in which she was asked about a report published Tuesday by the newspaper O Globo of Brazil on the scale of U.S. espionage in Latin America.
The newspaper O Globo reported that the U.S. spy network denounced by the CIA leaker Edward Snowden, claimed by the U.S. authorities, spread throughout Latin America and had a special focus on Brazil, Mexico and Colombia.
According to the Brazilian newspaper, were also spied on “constantly” though with less intensity Venezuela, Argentina, Ecuador, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Paraguay, Chile, Peru and El Salvador.
The Minister of Communication, Carlos Roverssi, said for his part that his government has not seen “any evidence or information to say that (the spy) was filed in Costa Rica”, but stated that the matter will be investigated.
In the same line gave the Minister of the Presidency, Carlos Benavides, who said the Brazilian newspaper provides “few details” about the alleged spying in Costa Rica.
“I wish I could provide more information that,” said Benavides.
Snowden is wanted by U.S. authorities, who accuse him of violating the Espionage Act for leaking details of the country two secret surveillance programs phone records and internet communications from government agencies.
Edward Snowden is in the transit area of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport since last June 23 after leaving Hong Kong and, according to WikiLeaks, has sought asylum in 27 countries, of which Bolivia, Nicaragua and Venezuela have shown prepared to receive him. EFE
The Costa Rica News (TCRN)
San Jose Costa Rica
