<div id="attachment_92573" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width:310px;"><a rel="nofollow" class="highslide" target="_blank" href="http://edition.channel5belize.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Eavesdropping-2-0001.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-92573" title="Alexis Rosado" src="http://edition.channel5belize.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Eavesdropping-2-0001-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225"/></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Alexis Rosado</p></div>
<p><strong>As we said, it is not surprising that Chargé d’Affaires Margaret Hawthorne would vehemently deny any recording which would suggest clandestine and unsanctioned intelligence-gathering activity. Currently, the U.S. is under scrutiny after allegations that certain of its intelligence agencies are involved in mass surveillance, including wiretapping and recording of conversations. Most recently, the son of Suriname’s president was arrested and evidence was provided based on conversations which were recorded by U.S. authorities. Uncle Sam’s powerful and far reaching tentacles are legendary, so nobody would be shocked to learn that even in little Belize, secret conversations are not so secret anymore. News Five spoke with one government official and Leader of the Opposition, Francis Fonseca, who both stated that they wouldn’t exactly be shocked to learn that the U.S. is involved in recording.</strong></p>
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<p><strong>Alexis Rosado, C.E.O., Ministry of Foreign Affairs</strong></p>
<p><em>“It would not be surprising that the Americans are listening to people. We know that they have been listening to heads of governments and leaders from all over the world from the N.S.A. leakages and so forth. But in respect of Belize, I am not aware that they are doing such thing. And should we get additional information to that expect, we would have to of course find out from them how and why they would be doing such things. Those things are not allowed in this country. And they would need special permit in any case and not even the government can do it. So I would be surprise if they are actually doing it. I can’t say I have listened to or heard whatever coverage was on the news, but yeah it is something we need to follow up should there be anything serious about it. They have not approached us about anything in respect of whatever you mentioned before.”</em></p>
<p> </p>
<div id="attachment_92574" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width:160px;"><a rel="nofollow" class="highslide" target="_blank" href="http://edition.channel5belize.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Eavesdropping-2.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-92574" title="Francis Fonseca" src="http://edition.channel5belize.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Eavesdropping-2-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150"/></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Francis Fonseca</p></div>
<p><strong>Francis Fonseca, P.U.P. Leader</strong></p>
<p><em>“We should not be surprised at all by any of that. It is very well known that the United States Government collects information. That has been disclosed very clearly over the past few months. It is alleged that they collect information from leaders all over the world, so why not little Belize. So yes, I am not surprised by that at all.”</em></p>
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<p><strong>As we said, it is not surprising that Chargé d’Affaires Margaret Hawthorne would vehemently deny any recording which would suggest clandestine and unsanctioned intelligence-gathering activity. Currently, the U.S. is under scrutiny after allegations that certain of its intelligence agencies are involved in mass surveillance, including wiretapping and recording of conversations. Most recently, the son of Suriname’s president was arrested and evidence was provided based on conversations which were recorded by U.S. authorities. Uncle Sam’s powerful and far reaching tentacles are legendary, so nobody would be shocked to learn that even in little Belize, secret conversations are not so secret anymore. News Five spoke with one government official and Leader of the Opposition, Francis Fonseca, who both stated that they wouldn’t exactly be shocked to learn that the U.S. is involved in recording.</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Alexis Rosado, C.E.O., Ministry of Foreign Affairs</strong></p>
<p><em>“It would not be surprising that the Americans are listening to people. We know that they have been listening to heads of governments and leaders from all over the world from the N.S.A. leakages and so forth. But in respect of Belize, I am not aware that they are doing such thing. And should we get additional information to that expect, we would have to of course find out from them how and why they would be doing such things. Those things are not allowed in this country. And they would need special permit in any case and not even the government can do it. So I would be surprise if they are actually doing it. I can’t say I have listened to or heard whatever coverage was on the news, but yeah it is something we need to follow up should there be anything serious about it. They have not approached us about anything in respect of whatever you mentioned before.”</em></p>
<p> </p>
<div id="attachment_92574" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width:160px;"><a rel="nofollow" class="highslide" target="_blank" href="http://edition.channel5belize.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Eavesdropping-2.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-92574" title="Francis Fonseca" src="http://edition.channel5belize.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Eavesdropping-2-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150"/></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Francis Fonseca</p></div>
<p><strong>Francis Fonseca, P.U.P. Leader</strong></p>
<p><em>“We should not be surprised at all by any of that. It is very well known that the United States Government collects information. That has been disclosed very clearly over the past few months. It is alleged that they collect information from leaders all over the world, so why not little Belize. So yes, I am not surprised by that at all.”</em></p>
View the full article