World reaction to Snowden’s spying revelations continues
July 5, 2013 15 Comments
By JOSEPH FITSANAKIS | intelNews.org |
Governments around the world continue to issue sharp official reactions to the revelations of large-scale spying by the United States, as Washington attempts to minimize the diplomatic fallout from the disclosures. The President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, told a session of the European Parliament on Tuesday that, if confirmed, the claims of US espionage against European Union institutions would be “very disturbing”. He was referring to allegations, aired last week by German newsmagazine Der Spiegel, that America spies on the communications of many of its allies, including European Union (EU) agencies, with the same intensity it spies on China and Iraq. The claims were based on documents supplied by American whistleblower Edward Snowden, a former technical expert with the Central Intelligence Agency, who is currently believed to be in Russia. Numerous EU officials have contacted the US with requests for clarification, while EU ambassadors are scheduled to hold a meeting in Brussels, Belgium, on Thursday, to discuss how to commonly respond to Der Spiegel’s revelations. Some of the strongest criticisms against US intelligence policies have been issued by German officials, as some business figures in the country are raising concerns about US economic espionage against German financial interests. Christian Social Union politician Hans Michelbach reminded participants in a German parliamentary session this week that the EU may be a political ally of the US, but “is indeed a strong competitor in the global economy”. He added that business circles in Berlin are concerned that US intelligence collection aimed at German businesses would give Washington “dishonest advantages”. In Italy, the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emma Bonino, attended a special parliamentary session on Thursday, in which she assured those present that the Italian embassy in Washington was not being spied upon by US intelligence services. She noted that Italy’s “secret services have not unearthed elements of espionage in our [Washington] embassy”. The government of India, meanwhile, expressed strong concerns on Wednesday over reports that US intelligence services have especially targeted nearly 40 diplomatic missions in Washington, including that of India. Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said New Delhi would “take up the issue with US authorities”. But the strongest reactions to Snowden’s revelations have come from the government of Bolivia. Read more of this post
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Military and intelligence officials arrested in Bolivia over coup attempt
July 1, 2024 by Joseph Fitsanakis 3 Comments
Luis Arce
NEARLY 20 MILITARY AND intelligence officials have so far been arrested in Bolivia, less than a week after a former military commander led a failed coup against the government of President Luis Arce (pictured). Several military units stormed the Casa Grande, the presidential palace in La Paz, the Bolivian capital. An armored vehicle was used to ram the main gate of the palace, allowing soldiers to enter the building. However, soldiers were later seen withdrawing from the plaza in front of Case Grande, and police took back control.
Within hours, Bolivian forces loyal to President Arce had arrested the apparent leader of the coup, General Juan José Zúñiga. Arce had appointed Zúñiga commander general of the Bolivian armed forces in 2022. The commander of the Bolivian Navy, Juan Arnez Salvador, has also reportedly been arrested, as well as over a dozen other military and intelligence officers. According to reports, over 200 military and intelligence personnel participated in the failed coup, including high-ranking officers. A press statement issued on Saturday by the Bolivian government said that the investigation into the coup will continue until all participants in the coup are identified.
Meanwhile, President Arce denied claims made by Zúñiga that he had been secretly asked by Arce to create instability in the country, in order to prompt the Bolivian population to rally around the government. In a press conference held in La Paz on Thursday, the president denied he had any involvement in the planning of the coup or that he had prior knowledge of the coup plot. Earlier on the same day, Bolivia’s Minister of the Interior, Eduardo del Castillo, had said in a radio interview that his ministry had received intelligence about potential attempts to destabilize the government. However, during his press conference, President Arce denied the existence of intelligence reports warning about a coup: “We were never informed about [Zúñiga’s] reports […]. We were surprised”, he said.
Arce, a 60-year-old former minister of economics, rose to the presidency in 2020. The 2020 elections followed a period of widespread political turmoil in Bolivia, which led to the forced resignation of then-President Evo Morales. Arce’s rise to power facilitated the return of Morales to Bolivia after a period of self-exile. However, Morales and Arce, who were once close political allies, fell out after Morales’ return to Bolivia. They now lead rival factions of the once unified Movement to Socialism (MAS).
The United States, China, and Russia, which compete for influence and access to resources in Bolivia, have remained largely silent since the coup. Arce’s government has prompted discontent in Washington by signing agreements with Chinese and Russian firms to exploit reserves of lithium, which are ample in Bolivia. Lithium is essential for the production of batteries for laptops, cell phones and other electronics, as well as electric vehicles.
► Author: Joseph Fitsanakis | Date: 01 July 2024 | Permalink
Filed under Expert news and commentary on intelligence, espionage, spies and spying Tagged with Bolivia, coup plots, Evo Morales, Juan Arnez Salvador, Juan José Zúñiga, Luis Arce, News