MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Claims Canada spied on Brazil’s Mining and Energy Ministry

Minister Edison Lobao told Globo that if that was the case, it was very “serious.”

Canada spied on communications at Brazil's Mining and Energy Ministry, according to Canadian intelligence documents revealed Sunday by Globo television. The documents were leaked by former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden.

Snowden disclosures including that the United States spied on the same ministry, on President Dilma Rousseff and her aides have greatly strained US-Brazilian ties.

In the disclosures broadcast on Globo, documents purportedly from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service leaked by Snowden show a detailed outline of the Brazilian ministry's communications including phone calls, emails and Internet traffic.

Canada does have interests in Brazil, particularly in mining, Mining and Energy Minister Edison Lobao told Globo, calling the development “serious.”

“There are many Canadian businesses interested in doing business in our country. If that is where the interest in spying comes from, to help certain business interests, I cannot say,” Lobao added.

Snowden, a 30-year-old former CIA security analyst is wanted by the United States after revealing details of massive surveillance by the National Security Agency to the media.

Snowden spent more than a month in transit in Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport before slipping out into Russia where he has asylum.