The Imminent Abortion Legalization in Brazil: the Pope Has Spoken… That It Was Not Necessary to Speak!

By Julio Severo

The international media has been in frenzy about pope’s statements on homosexuality. Usually, when Christians speak about homosexual issues, the media do not forgive: the barrage of attacks is endless. I have been a victim of such attacks, and I have written many articles defending (Catholic and Protestant) Christians under such attacks.

In the pope’s case, there were no attacks. Apparently, some of his words were misrepresented. But, overall, he was celebrated by the international press.

I will not focus on the controversy of his remarks about homosexuality and how reporters have chosen to see it. I am not concerned about what the pope said after his trip to Brazil. My concern involves what he did not speak in Brazil.

During his trip, my Catholic pro-life friends were desperately trying to get to the pope to ask his special assistance against a pro-abortion bill which was passed in the Brazilian Congress recently. Was the pope’s visit providential to help the pro-life cause?

I wrote two recent articles on the pope and abortion in Brazil. One of them said that “socialist Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff is about to sign into law a pro-abortion bill, and the pope did not address any specific message about this urgent situation in Brazil. He left Brazil without speaking up against this imminent threat.”

Why did not he speak? Did not he know it? There were many doubts among Brazilian pro-lifers, including me.

After my last article on the pope and abortion in Brazil, a Catholic friend in Norway sent me a reliable original Spanish answer by the pope about this specific issue, published in the prominent Catholic news site AciPrensa. The pope gave this significant answer in his flight back from Brazil. The translated into English was published by CatholicVote:

Journalist: Brazilian society has changed, young people have changed. You have not spoken about abortion nor about marriage between people of the same sex. In Brazil they have approved a law that extends abortion rights and another one that allows marriage between people of the same sex. Why have you not spoken about that?

Pope Francis: The Church has clearly spoken about that, it is not necessary to go over it again, as it’s not necessary to talk about fraud, lying or other things about which the church has a clear doctrine. It is not necessary to talk about that, but about positive things that open the road for the young ones. Besides, young people know perfectly well what is the Church’s position about this.

So probably the pope knew about the abortion bill that Rousseff is about to sign into law. If he did not know before, he learnt about it when he left Brazil and was interviewed. His answer was just “The Church has clearly spoken about that, it is not necessary to go over it again.”

As an evangelical Christian involved for more than twenty five years in the pro-life movement, I know it. Through Pope John II, especially his excellent encyclical The Gospel of Life, the Catholic Church has clearly spoken on the defense of life.

Other Catholics have also spoken magnificently on behalf of life. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, in a prayer breakfast with former President Bill Clinton, rebuked him for his pro-abortion stance some twenty years ago.

Clinton was a Baptist. Yet, even not being a Catholic, he knew the universal Christian teaching, which is essentially pro-life. Did not Mother Teresa need to rebuke him because “The Church has clearly spoken about that, it is not necessary to go over it again”?

So, because Brazil is the largest Catholic nation in the world, did not the pope need to address directly the abortion issue with the Brazilian people and Rousseff because “The Church has clearly spoken about that, it is not necessary to go over it again,” even though she is about to sign it into law?

By the way, Catholic pro-lifers in Brazil should not also address directly the abortion issue with Rousseff and the Brazilian Congress because “The Church has clearly spoken about that, it is not necessary to go over it again.”

Yes, the Catholic Church has clearly spoken about this issue. The Gospel of Life is a proof. But is not it necessary to address it directly to a president who is about to sign abortion in law? Is not it necessary to preach the Gospel of Life over and over and over?

I do not know what my pro-life Catholic friends will now do, but I will keep preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who came to give abundant life.

Portuguese version of this article: A iminente legalização do aborto no Brasil: o papa falou… que não era necessário falar!

Source: Julio Severo in English: www.lastdayswatchman.blogspot.com

Recommended Reading:

The Pope, Homosexuality and Abortion in Brazil

The Pope and Abortion in Brazil

The Pope, Homosexuality and Abortion in Brazil

By Julio Severo

As reported by Daily Mail, “The pope has said that he ‘will not judge’ gay priests. Speaking to reporters on a flight back from his week-long visit to sexually permissive Brazil, Pope Francis said he ‘would not stand in judgment’ of gays in the Vatican and that they should not be discriminated against. The pontiff’s remarks about gays mark a more conciliatory approach than his predecessor. Benedict signed a document in 2005 saying that men with deep-rooted homosexual tendencies should not be priests.”

Speech about not judging gay priests is a surprise, considering that the massive scandal involving pedophilia in the Catholic Church is largely linked to homosexuality among priests.

But the bigger surprise, at least to pro-life leaders in Brazil, is that socialist Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff is about to sign into law a pro-abortion bill, and the pope did not address any specific message about this urgent situation in Brazil. He left Brazil without speaking up against this imminent threat.

How can now Rousseff be pressured by pro-life Catholics and evangelicals when even the pope showed no willingness to tackle directly the abortion issue?

As an evangelical Christian, I think that the pope could make his controversial remark on homosexuality in another time. The absolute priority right now is to speak up against the imminence of abortion legalization in Brazil.

Why did not he speak?

Portuguese version of this article: O Papa, a Homossexualidade e o Aborto no Brasil

Source: Julio Severo in English: www.lastdayswatchman.blogspot.com

Recommended Reading:

The Pope and Abortion in Brazil

Archbishop Tutu: Rather Go to Hell Than Go to a Homophobic Heaven

Archbishop Tutu: Rather Go to Hell Than Go to a Homophobic Heaven

South Africa’s retired Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who is engaged in international anti-“homophobia” UN campaign, says he will never worship a “homophobic God”

By Julio Severo

The former Archbishop of Cape Town, who has been considered the moral conscience of South Africa, spoke last week at the launch of a UN-backed campaign in South Africa to promote gay rights.

Desmond Tutu

“I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say sorry, I mean I would much rather go to the other place,” Anglican Archbishop Tutu said, as reported by BBC, at the launch of the Free and Equal campaign in Cape Town.

“I would not worship a God who is homophobic and that is how deeply I feel about this.”

Tutu, 81, is a long-standing international campaigner for the gay agenda and he told BBC that he is passionate about this UN campaign against “homophobia.”

Tutu would not need to fight “homophobia” in heaven. In fact, he would see no “homophobia” in heaven, because there is no homosexual there. In the presence of God there are only people delivered from a past life of sins, including homosexuality.

Of course, if, as gay supremacists preach, “homophobia” is criticism of homosexuality, then Tutu will not want to go to heaven, which is under the rule of the One who is the author of all condemnation of homosexuality in the Bible.

Besides, Tutu would not be pleased to hear from God that he was in truth a very immoral conscience for South Africa by his support of what God calls abomination. In His Word, this is the name God uses to mention homosexuality:

“You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” (Leviticus 18:22 ESV)

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10 ESV)

God loves homosexual sinners, but he hates homosexual sin.

Yet, there is a place where Tutu can go. In Hell Tutu’s campaigning would be most needed, because Satan loves violence against humans — all humans — including homosexuals. In Hell, Tutu could fight Satan’s “homophobia.”

Satan loves homosexuality, but he hates homosexuals. In the presence of Satan there are people not delivered from a past life of sins, including homosexuality.

Certainly, Tutu will feel comfortable in Hell and in the presence of Satan, the author of all violence and persecution against God’s people who warn sinners about their sins, including homosexuality, which lead to hell. Satan hates all God’s condemnation of homosexuality, which he and his satanic religions welcome.

Afro-Brazilian religions, similar to voodoo and Santeria with their African gods and spirits, welcome homosexuality and prostitution. These religions are perfect for Tutu and UN.

Instead of helping people to be delivered from their hell-bound sins, Tutu is helping UN to maintain homosexuals in their sins.

UN human rights chief Navi Pillay said gay and lesbian people in South Africa got some of the best legal rights in the world since Nelson Mandela began to rule in 1994. Today South Africa, under Mandela’s African National Congress, stands out in the African continent for its dedication to the gay agenda.

Desmond Tutu is the chairman of the “Elders,” a group composed by 12 “apostles.” In compliance with the UN goals, the “Elders” campaign against female exclusion from church leadership. In the same way, Tutu works against the exclusion of practicing homosexual from pastoral ministry. Years ago, he endorsed the Presbyterian Church of Scotland’s decision of ordaining gay ministers.

Former Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso is one of the Elders and, in Brazil, he is one of the most important leaders in the socialist party PSDB.

Tutu has been a model to some Protestant ministers in Brazil, including apostates Caio Fábio, Ricardo Gondim and Ed Rene Kivitz, who wrote the preface of his book in Portuguese. Kivitz has been one of the leaders of the Theology of Integral Mission, which is the Protestant version of Liberation Theology. Tutu’s book in Portuguese was launched by Thomas Nelson, which belongs to HarperCollins, publisher of the Satanic Bible.

In this realm, Tutu is among brothers.

Another Tutu adherent in Brazil is Rev. Carlos Bezerra, also a leader in PSDB, who recently was exposed for attacking Christians who are in the frontlines against the gay agenda. His argument is that Jesus never mentioned homosexuality negatively in the Gospels. He finished his argument by saying: “Hail, Desmond Tutu! With him, I am in tune, today and forever.”

To it, Tutu would answer, “Hell for you too, brother Bezerra! Our Godphobic place is waiting for us!”

Portuguese version of this article: Arcebispo Tutu: Prefiro ir para o inferno a ir para um céu “homofóbico”

Source: Julio Severo in English: www.lastdayswatchman.blogspot.com

Recommended Reading:

Globalization “Elders” want female ordination as ministers, priests and rabbis

If you want to know about Liberation Theology in Brazil, download my free English book here: http://bit.ly/1a6brwP

The Pope and Abortion in Brazil

Brazilian president is about to enact pro-abortion law, and the pope does not know about it

By Julio Severo

A bill protecting victims of sexual violence was passed by stealth in the Brazilian Congress recently. There is no problem in laws protecting such victims. But pro-abortion groups praised it because it will effectively legalize abortion in Brazil. It will enforce another law that says that to get an abortion is enough for a woman to say that she was a victim of rape. There is no need of medical and legal evidence. Any woman can get an abortion by alleging violence.

Pope Francis and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff

This bill, the way it is, helps more abortion than victims of sexual violence. Now, it waits official enactment by Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, a fervent socialist who, nevertheless, seeks not to antagonize her massive Catholic population.

Pro-life groups throughout Brazil are pressing the Catholic National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (NCBB) to convince Rousseff not to enact the pro-abortion bill. But NCBB, traditionally aligned with many of the Liberation Theology tenets, has been divided about an opposition to the bill.

Rousseff will react according to the popular mobilization she sees. She is seeing some small Catholic and evangelical groups opposing. She is seeing NCBB divided. And in this urgent context, where abortion can be legalized at any moment, the pope comes to visit Brazil!

Just one word from Pope Francis asking Rousseff not to enact the abortion law would be more than enough for her to comply with his wishes. His word represents the will of millions of Catholics, and Brazil is the largest Catholic nation in the world.

But largely leftist NCBB has not informed the pope about the urgent issue. Brazilian pro-life leaders are trying to get to the pope to ask his help, but even in this case, under the alarm of learning about the desperate situation in Brazil, the pope could eventually get disoriented by seeking additional information directly from the most important Catholic hierarchy in Brazil: NCBB.

Rousseff is with her pen in her hand, ready to sign into law the pro-abortion bill, but she is waiting. If the pope speaks up, pro-abortion groups will suffer inevitable defeat. If the pope leaves Brazil without speaking up, pro-life groups will have a hard time to explain about the urgency and importance of the pro-abortion bill. After all, if it is so pressing, why did not the pope speak up?

Rousseff and Brazil are waiting the specific pro-life words by the pope on the pro-abortion bill that she is about to sign into law.

If the pope leaves Brazil without such words, the Catholic National Conference of Bishops of Brazil will have innocent blood in its hands.

Portuguese version of this article: O Papa e o Aborto no Brasil

Source: Julio Severo in English: www.lastdayswatchman.blogspot.com

Recommended Reading:

Abortion games between Brazil and UN

If you want to know about Liberation Theology in Brazil, download my free English book here: http://bit.ly/1a6brwP

Muslim Dinner at White House

By Julio Severo

According to CBNNews, President Barack Obama praised the accomplishments of Muslims in America at his fifth annual Iftar dinner. The event, hosted at the White House Thursday, is an observance of the Muslim Holy month of Ramadan.

While the Muslim ideology kills Christians around the world, Obama praises it at White House

“Throughout our history Islam has contributed to the character of our country, and Muslim Americans and their good works have helped to build our nation and we have seen the results,” Obama said.

The Muslim tradition at the White House was not begun by Obama. It began under President Bill Clinton and was continued by President George W. Bush.

This is a departure from the Christian character of America by Democratic and Republican presidents. Islam was a strong reality in the time of the Founders, but no one of them thought of hosting a Muslim observance, especially at the White House.

And especially because, whether in the past or present, the Muslim ideology is the main source of persecution and martyrdom for Christians around the world. There is no logical reason for America, a nation founded by persecuted Christians, to celebrate a religious ideology with Christian blood in its hands.

According to Paul Marshall, in the book “Persecuted: The Global Assault on Christians” (Thomas Nelson, p. 123), “The most widespread persecution of Christians today takes place in the Muslim world, and it is spreading and intensifying.”

Marshall points out that “Even though the remaining Communist countries persecute the most Christians, it is in the Muslim world where persecution of Christians is now most widespread, intense, and, ominously, increasing” (p. 11).

Before their foolish decision of hosting a celebration for an anti-Christian ideology, Clinton, Bush and Obama should have consulted the surviving victims of this ideology.

And the White House, with its past Christian history, should do more for persecuted Christians, including the Romeike family who, like the Pilgrims, fled Europe because of persecution against their Christian convictions. But, different of the Pilgrims, the German family did not find the same America to welcome them in their plight.

The Romeike family

Right now, the Muslim-flattering White House is busy, with its Justice Department, to deport the persecuted Christian family.

Portuguese version of this article: Banquete Islâmico na Casa Branca

Source: Julio Severo in English: www.lastdayswatchman.blogspot.com

Recommended Reading:

Homeschooling Family Face Deportation by the US Government

Americans Warned: Home-Schoolers Stripped of Rights

United States: between Gayland and Mohammedland

R.C. Sproul: There Is No True Prophecy Today

By Julio Severo

According to Charisma magazine, Calvinist theologian Dr. R.C. Sproul says he was “deeply immersed” in charismatic circles in the 1960s and that after receiving about 50 false prophecies, he said to himself, “You know, I’m going to live my life by what it says in the Word, because I know the Spirit has superintended that.”

So, with his bad experience with prophecy, Dr. Sproul concluded that there is no genuine gift of prophecy for today.

By coincidence, his personal bad experience aligns itself with a strong theological view in many Calvinist circles: the belief that God does not grant today supernatural gifts as healings, speaking in tongues, prophecies and other miracles. Cessationism. Apparently, all because they had bad experiences.

Have Calvinist theologians bad luck?

I see Calvinist churches ordaining gays, supporting abortion and boycotts against Israel, especially in Europe and America. Should I conclude that Calvinist churches are not genuine Christian churches?

I have often heard Bible misrepresentations by Jehovah’s Witnesses and similar groups. Should I conclude that the Bible leads to heresy?

Twenty years ago, I received a prophetic word in a prayer meeting in Brasilia. The word said that my name would be known throughout Brazil. I had never asked for it. Even after this prophetic experience, I did not begin to pray for it.

But it came to pass. Years later, I had a book published by the Brazilian branch of Bethany House Publishers. My book, “O Movimento Homossexual” (The Homosexual Movement). was written under prophetic inspiration.

Of course, I have heard misrepresentations of the gift of prophecy, in the same way I have heard misrepresentations of the Bible. My way to deal with misrepresentations is to know how to test and examine. After all, the Bible teaches us: “Do not despise prophecies, but a test everything.” (1 Thessalonians 5:20,21 ESV) It teaches to examine what is preached in the name of the Bible and what is prophesied in the name of God.

The cessationist stance has strong disagreements among Calvinists, because there are Calvinists who believe that God has never ceased His gifts.

Calvinist theologian Dr. J. Rodman Williams, in his “Renewal Theology: Systematic Theology from a Charismatic Perspective” (Zondervan), said, “God, the living God, is the God of revelation. He is ready to grant through His Spirit a spirit of revelation and wisdom for a deeper knowledge of Christ and also through revelation and prophecy to speak to His people. God has not changed in His desire to communicate directly with those who belong to Him.”

His stance open to the Holy Spirit is a stark contrast with the cessationist stance of Dr. Sproul. There are Calvinists in both camps.

I am not a Calvinist, but I am in Dr. Williams’ camp.

I find no Bible support to reject when God wants to direct or speak to us today through prophecy. I follow a “Sola Scriptura” which means “only the Bible,” but I fear that when some theologians mention “Sola Scriptura” (only Scripture) what they mean is “Sola Theologia” (only theology). Nothing else.

After years living only in Sweden, you begin to speak Swedish. After years living and believing only in God’s Word, you begin to live its reality, especially the reality of its Author. This is real “Sola Scriptura.” But after years living and believing only in theology, you begin to think and speak it. This is “Sola Theologia,” often misunderstood as “Sola Scriptura.”

Outside the arid fields of certain theological misinterpretations of God’s action and guidance, opportunities are vast for people open to Him and His living Word.

Years ago, I met George Otis. His father had met Ronald Reagan in his ranch in 1970. In the presence of singer Pat Boone, a charismatic Christian, he delivered a prophetic word to Reagan: “God will raise you up as president of the United States.” If Reagan had had bad luck, later he could also tell about his bad experiences with prophecy.

Yet, false prophecy never nullifies true prophecy. False Bible teaching never nullifies true Bible teaching. Bible misrepresentation or false prophecy is no excuse to annul God’s Word and prophetic guiding.

There is no president, in Brazil or other nation, that I admire most than Reagan. As a teen in the 1980s, I defended Reagan while my peers were taught by media to hate him. Poor Reagan was portrayed as the cause for all problems in the world. Yet, he was my hero. I had always felt something from God about him, and when I met Otis, I had a confirmation about my inklings.

In the words of Paul Kengor, Reagan was a “crusader” against communism. How could not I admire such brave man when I also fight the Marxist heresy in Brazil?

But I doubt that I would be able to nurture this admiration among Brazilian Calvinist apologists today.

In the Brazilian Protestant churches, the defense of socialist ideology has been spearheaded by Calvinist apologists. By contrast, the conservative resistance has been spearheaded by neo-charismatics, who are fearlessly fighting the abortion and sodomy agenda.

One of the leading Calvinist leaders in Brazil is Ariovaldo Ramos, who is a former director of World Vision in Brazil. He has publicly praised the late Venezuelan Marxist dictator Hugo Chávez, whom he said he met sometimes. Ramos has led efforts to criticize neo-charismatic leaders, including Pentecostal minister Marco Feliciano, who has been viciously attacked by the mainstream media in Brazil for his vocal stances against abortion and sodomy. Ramos is considered by the Brazilian evangelical Left as a “prophet” of the Theology of Integral Mission, the Protestant version of the Marxist Liberation Theology.

There are not many neo-charismatic theologians in Brazil. In fact, I do not know anyone. But there are many conservatives among them. On the other hand, there are many theologians in the Calvinist churches in Brazil, but not many conservative leaders. Should we conclude that Calvinist theology brings bad luck to churches?

Calvinist apologists in Brazil have spearheaded the fight to promote liberalism and socialism and, at the same time, the fight against neo-charismatics. Cessationism and Theology of Integral Mission are their passion, and the neo-charismatic growth is their hate. So should we conclude that Calvinism is false Christianity by their bad example in Brazil?

The largest Presbyterian denomination in America is ordaining homosexuals and committing other abominations. Should we conclude that Calvinism leads to apostasy?

You do not need prophetic guiding to understand that Marxism is a heresy. In Brazil, it is the most powerful heresy affecting the churches. Orestes Brownson (1803–1876), who was raised a Calvinist and converted himself to Catholicism, was probably the first Christian to warn America about the perils of the Marxist heresy.

If church leaders do not want to hear what God has to say in His own terms and conditions, they will see their flocks leaving, as Brownson did.

Regardless the bad experiences of Sproul and other Calvinists, God speaks today. If they gave more attention to God through His gifts, they would be more able to resist to the socialist onslaught against the church and society.

If you want to know this fight in Brazil, download my free English book here: http://bit.ly/1a6brwP

Portuguese version of this article: R.C. Sproul: Não há profecia verdadeira hoje

Spanish version of this article: R. C. Sproul: No existe profecía verdadera hoy

Source: Julio Severo in English: www.lastdayswatchman.blogspot.com

Recommended Reading:

Liberation Theology and Neo-Pentecostalism: A Leading Challenge to the Evangelical Churches in Brazil

NSA in bed with most Western states as Brazil also complains about surveillance by U.S. spy agencies

Julio Severo’s thoughts: The US surveillance on other nations is immoral, but so do empires: they do whatever they do with whoever they want. Let me clarify that a nation that imposes the gay agenda on other nations falls under the category of empire, an evil empire. A 2011 WND report said about the Obama plan to have the US as a global LGBT sex cop. Two years ago, WND reported on DHS monitoring my blog. I am a Brazilian citizen. Why such surveillance on me? Are my pro-life and pro-family activities a threat to America? In Brazil, I am in the frontlines against gay tyranny.

I am not worried just about the US surveillance. I am worried also that the Brazilian socialist government will now use the US intrusions as a pretext to ask UN intrusions in the nations. So a US wicked act will lead to a Brazilian wicked act.

As a Christian, I am opposed to the wicked acts by the US and Brazil, especially their love for the gay agenda.

Read now the DailyMail report:

Snowden says NSA 'in bed' with most Western states as Brazil also complains about surveillance by U.S. spy agencies

By Reuters Reporter and Daily Mail Reporter

Fugitive whistleblower Edward Snowden says America’s National Security Agency is ‘in bed’ with Germany and other Western states, while Brazil is demanding an explanation from the U.S. over reports that its citizens have been under surveillance for at least a decade.

America's National Security Agency works closely with Germany and other Western states on a 'no questions asked'-basis, former NSA employee Snowden said in comments that undermine Chancellor Angela Merkel's indignant talk of ‘Cold War’ tactics.

‘They are in bed with the Germans, just like with most other Western states,’ German magazine Der Spiegel quotes him as saying in an interview published on Sunday that was carried out before he fled to Hong Kong in May and divulged details of extensive secret U.S. surveillance.

Outspoken 'hero': Fugitive whistleblower Edward Snowden says America's National Security Agency is 'in bed' with Germany and other Western states

‘Other agencies don't ask us where we got the information from and we don't ask them. That way they can protect their top politicians from the backlash in case it emerges how massively people's privacy is abused worldwide,’ he said.

Snowden’s comments about cooperation with governments overseas, which he said were led by the NSA's Foreign Affairs Directorate, appear to contradict the German government's show of surprise at the scale of the U.S. electronic snooping.

Germany has demanded explanations for Snowden's allegations of large-scale spying by the NSA, and by Britain via a programme codenamed 'Tempora', on their allies including Germany and other European Union states, as well as EU institutions and embassies.

Chancellor Angela Merkel pointed out during President Barack Obama's recent visit that Germany had avoided terrorist attacks thanks to information from allies.

But she says there must be limits to the intrusion on privacy and wants this discussed next week in parallel with the start of EU-U.S. free trade talks.

Close allies: U.S. President Barack Obama, left, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, toast during a dinner hosted by Merkel in honour of the Obamas at Schloss Charlottenburg in Berlin on June 19, 2013

Berlin has alluded repeatedly to ‘Cold War’ tactics - Merkel used the term again on Saturday at a political rally - and has said spying on friends is unacceptable. Her spokesman has said a transatlantic trade deal requires a level of ‘mutual trust.’

Brazil is getting ready to demand an explanation from the United States over report its citizens' electronic communications have been under watch by U.S. spy agencies for at least ten years, foreign minister Antonio Patriota said on Sunday.

Patriota's remarks were in response to a report in the Globo daily newspaper on Sunday saying that the U.S. National Security Agency has been monitoring the telephone and e-mail activity of Brazilian companies and individuals as part of U.S. espionage activities.

The report cited documents obtained from U.S. fugitive Edward Snowden, a former NSA intelligence contractor.

More accusations: Brazil's foreign minister Antonio Patriota, pictured, says the United States has been spying on Brazil's citizens' electronic communications for at least a decade

Patriota also said his government plans to propose changes to international communications rules administered by the Geneva-based International Telecommunications Union to improve communications secrecy, the statement said.

Brazil also plans to present proposals to the United Nations to protect the privacy of electronic communication.

‘The Brazilian government is gravely concerned by the news that electronic and telephone communications of Brazilian citizens are the objective of espionage efforts by U.S. intelligence agencies,’ a foreign ministry statement said.

The Globo report did not say how much traffic was monitored by NSA computers and intelligence officials. But the article pointed out that in the Americas, Brazil was second only to the United States in the number of transmissions intercepted.

Brazil was a priority nation for the NSA communications surveillance alongside China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan, Globo said.

In the 10-year period, the NSA captured 2.3 billion phone calls and messages in the United States and then used computers to analyze them for signs of suspicious activity, the paper said.

In the United States, the NSA used legal but secret warrants to compel communications companies to turn over information about calls and emails for analysis.

Some access to Brazilian communications was obtained through American companies that were partners with Brazilian telecommunications companies, the paper reported, without identifying the companies.

Speaking out: Activists from the Internet Party of Ukraine perform during a rally supporting Snowden in front of U.S. embassy, in Kiev on June 27, 2013

The Globo article was written by Glenn Greenwald, Roberto Kaz and José Casado. Greenwald, an American who works for Britain's Guardian newspaper and lives in Rio de Janeiro, was the journalist who first revealed classified documents provided by Snowden, outlining the extent of U.S. communications monitoring activity at home and abroad.

After providing the information to Greenwald, Snowden fled the United States for Hong Kong and was most recently seen in the transit area of the Moscow airport.

Snowden's U.S. passport has been revoked. He has made asylum requests to several countries, including Ecuador, Venezuela and Bolivia. Three countries - Bolivia, Venezuela and Nicaragua - have offered to give Snowden asylum.

Germany’s domestic intelligence chief has said he knew nothing of such widespread surveillance by the NSA.

But German opposition parties - with an eye on September's federal election - insist that somebody in Merkel's office, where the German intelligence agencies are coordinated, must have known what was going on.

The government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Der Spiegel report, which follows a report last week in French daily Le Monde saying France also had an extensive surveillance programme.

Der Spiegel has reported that on an average day, the NSA monitored about 20 million German phone connections and 10 million internet data sets, rising to 60 million phone connections on busy days.

Protest: A member of German Piraten Partei holds the portraits of U.S. Army Private First Class Bradley Manning and Snowden during a protest in Berlin's Tiergarten district on June 19, 2013

Germans are particularly sensitive about eavesdropping because of the intrusive surveillance in the communist German Democratic Republic (GDR) and during the Nazi era.

Snowden, a U.S. citizen, fled in May a few weeks before the details he provided about the NSA were published and is believed to have been holed up in Moscow airport since June 23.

Bolivia offered asylum on Saturday to Snowden, joining leftist allies Venezuela and Nicaragua in defiance of Washington, which is demanding his arrest for divulging details of the secret U.S. spy programs.

Der Spiegel said the interview was conducted while Snowden was living in Hawaii, via encrypted emails with U.S. documentary maker Laura Poitras and hacker Jacob Appelbaum.

Snowden told them that America's closest allies sometimes went even further than the NSA in their zeal for gathering data.

NSA headquarters: An undated aerial handout photo shows the National Security Agency headquarters building in Fort Meade, Maryland

The Tempora programme of Britain's GCHQ eavesdropping agency is known in the intelligence world as a ‘full take.’

‘It sucks up all information, no matter where it comes from and which laws are broken,’ Snowden said. ‘If you send a data packet and goes through Britain, we'll get it. If you download anything, and the server is in Britain, we'll get it.’

If the NSA is ordered to target an individual, it virtually take over that person's data ‘so the target's computer no longer belongs to him, it more or less belongs to the U.S. government.’

Source: DailyMail, via Julio Severo in English.

Recommended Reading:

Brazil expresses concern at report of NSA spying

Obama’s War on Christians

NSA has total access via Microsoft Windows

“1984” Live! US Surveillance Scandal Is The Biggest Story Of Your Lifetime

Beware: You Are Being Monitored!

Homeland Security surveillance detected on Julio Severo website

US surveillance on blogs and websites