Brazil's foreign minister denied Monday that fugitive US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden had applied to the Brazilian government for asylum.
Snowden, who is currently in Russia on temporary asylum that expires in August, told Brazil's Globo TV in an interview aired Sunday that he "would love to live in Brazil" and had formally applied for asylum there.
But Foreign Minister Luiz Alberto Figueiredo said that was not the case.
"If the request arrives, it will be considered. It hasn't arrived," he told O Globo.
Snowden sent shock waves around the world last year when he revealed the extent of Washington's electronic eavesdropping, including the mass collection of phone data and spying on foreign leaders' communications.
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff was among those targeted, according to documents he leaked last year.
She cancelled a state visit to Washington after the revelations.
Brazil’s foreign minister denied Monday that fugitive US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden had applied to the Brazilian government for asylum.
Snowden, who is currently in Russia on temporary asylum that expires in August, told Brazil’s Globo TV in an interview aired Sunday that he “would love to live in Brazil” and had formally applied for asylum there.
But Foreign Minister Luiz Alberto Figueiredo said that was not the case.
“If the request arrives, it will be considered. It hasn’t arrived,” he told O Globo.
Snowden sent shock waves around the world last year when he revealed the extent of Washington’s electronic eavesdropping, including the mass collection of phone data and spying on foreign leaders’ communications.
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff was among those targeted, according to documents he leaked last year.
She cancelled a state visit to Washington after the revelations.
