Latin American complaints over U.S. spying ignore their own wiretap programs

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/07/11/196461/latin-american-complaints-over.html

July 11, 2013

By Tim Johnson | McClatchy Foreign Staff

MEXICO CITY — Several Latin American presidents have complained bitterly following recent revelations about U.S. electronic surveillance, but there’s a bit of hypocrisy in some of their griping.

At least four Latin countries have requested, and received, U.S. help in setting up eavesdropping programs of their own, ostensibly designed to fight organized crime. But the programs are easily diverted to political ends, and with weak rule of law in parts of the region, wiretapping scandals erupt every few months.

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