S Americans take steps to prevent US spying

CARACAS - South American countries are making plans to set up an exclusive internet network in face of increasing threats from US spying agencies, officials said.

The 12-member Union of South American Nations (Unasur) are taking steps to build a digital communications platform which is designed, administered and used only by Unasur nations, Manuel Fernandez, Venezuelan minister of science, technology and innovation, said here Thursday.

The plan also includes other measures to prevent US spying, such as the establishment of local servers, an exclusive e-mail service and social network systems.

"We are taking the steps we consider pertinent from a political, human and legal point of view," said Fernandez. "These countries doing espionage should have the ethical attitude of respecting the private communications of other countries."

Meanwhile, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has voiced support for the anti-spying resolution submitted jointly by Brazil and Germany to the United Nations, calling for mechanisms to guarantee privacy rights and greater accountability and transparency of state intelligence agencies.

Unasur, established in 2004, is composed of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela.