Brazil orders secure email for highest levels of government following NSA snooping

Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff is probably fed up of the snooping by the U.S.

Brazil has hit back at the allegations that the U.S. is actively snooping communications at the highest levels of government with their President, Dilma Rousseff, ordering SERPRO – that country's federal data processing service – to implement a government-wide secure e-mail system.

Rousseff outlined the plan in a series of Tweets last night stating "We need more security on our messages to prevent possible espionage,". The agency, which falls under Brazil's Finance Ministry, already develops secure systems for online tax returns and is also responsible for issuing new passports to its citizens. 

"This is the first step toward extending the privacy and inviolability of official posts," Rousseff said. The statements came after official complaints against US intelligence agencies to the United Nations General Assembly last month, as well as canceling a state visit to Washington, Rousseff further added the country will host an international conference on Internet governance in April.

Following the leaks, Brazilian media outlets have published several documents showing that the NSA spied on Rousseff's official communications, her close associates and state-controlled oil giant Petrobras.

The information was revealed by Edward Snowden, a 30-year-old former NSA contractor who sought refuge in Russia, and is wanted by the U.S. authorities.

Source: AFP | Image: jornaldaparaiba.com.br