Peña Nieto: American espionage "totally unacceptable"

U.S. on the hot seat all over Latin America

*Updated Sept. 2 - Guardian journalist: U.S. spied on Enrique Peña Nieto before he was elected*

Guadalajara -
On the same day major party leaders from Mexican congress delivered a unified condemnation of the U.S. National Security Agency's electronic surveillance program known as PRISM, Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto did likewise, calling it "totally unacceptable." Mexico turns up heat on U.S. over PRISM surveillance.

"I'm working though our foreign ministry to get more information about all these things which have been coming out in the world press. We're looking for an explanation from the (U.S.) government in particular; an explanation which will clarify the facts behind these claims of international espionage. We want to know more about it, and find out if it's true. If it is, it would be completely unacceptable."

In a similar message, undersecretary of government Eduardo Sánchez told a press conference that espionage on Mexican soil is prohibited, and those responsible will be held accountable, "whoever may fall."

Sánchez said that federal prosecutors here are already investigating whether the United States had "contracts or agreements for the acquisition or placement of communications interception devices or systems" within Mexico.

Earlier this year the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court issued search warrants directing cell phone companies and internet service providers to hand over millions of records containing so-called metadata - phone numbers dialed, email addresses and the dates and times of communications, as well as other electronic information. The U.S. insists that emails were not read and phone calls were not eavesdropped, and the government denies it had the capacity to do so. Although the subpoenas have no legal force and effect outside of the U.S. and could not be used to compel production of data in the hands of a foreign service provider, American intelligence agencies could have solicited such information directly from Mexico's many private cable and cell phone networks.

This week a British newspaper which first published the allegations of former NSA contractor Edward Snowden reported that PRISM extended to Latin American countries, including Mexico, Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina and Brazil, setting off a firestorm of controversy in the latter.

Asked if PRISM would damage American-Mexican relations, president Peña Nieto said, "No, I think at this point in time nothing could alter the climate of respect and cordiality which we've established with the government of the United States."

Sept. 4 - Enrique Peña Nieto will speak directly to Barack Obama about NSA spying in Mexico
Sept. 2 - Mexico roars back over U.S. spying on Peña Nieto
Sept. 2 - Guardian journalist: U.S. spied on Enrique Peña Nieto before he was elected
July 11 - U.S. carried out electronic spying in Mexico with help of American contractor - and maybe of Mexico
July 7 - Edward Snowden: Washington's massive miscalculation

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