01:29USA: Snowden revealed what we already suspected - Venezuelan foreign minister
USA: Snowden revealed what we already suspected - Venezuelan foreign minister
Venezuela's Foreign Minister says the leaks by US whistleblower Edward Snowden have confirmed what his country suspected long ago, although the case of Edward Snowden has still come as something of a shock.
Speaking in New York Foreign Minister Elias Jaua said: "There have always been grounds to suspect the US administration carries out this kind of interference and surveillance. But you never expect to see these suspicions proven true by facts leaked by their own employees, like Edward Snowden's case, with so many specific facts revealed," he said.
"They say their actions are in line with US domestic legislation and that they were taken as part of a programme approved by the US Congress, the Supreme Court and executed by the US administration. This would be OK, even if ethically questionable, if it had been carried out only within the US society," he added.
Former US spy agency contractor Snowden was recently granted asylum in Russia.
01:29USA: Snowden revealed what we already suspected - Venezuelan foreign minister
Venezuela's Foreign Minister says the leaks by US whistleblower Edward Snowden have confirmed what his country suspected long ago, although the case of Edward Snowden has still come as something of a shock.
Speaking in New York Foreign Minister Elias Jaua said: "There have always been grounds to suspect the US administration carries out this kind of interference and surveillance. But you never expect to see these suspicions proven true by facts leaked by their own employees, like Edward Snowden's case, with so many specific facts revealed," he said.
"They say their actions are in line with US domestic legislation and that they were taken as part of a programme approved by the US Congress, the Supreme Court and executed by the US administration. This would be OK, even if ethically questionable, if it had been carried out only within the US society," he added.
Former US spy agency contractor Snowden was recently granted asylum in Russia.