Brazil senators ask federal police to protect journalist reporting on NSA

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – Brazil’s senate has opened an investigation into U.S. spying in the nation.

In their first act, lawmakers asked Tuesday that an American journalist living in Rio de Janeiro who first broke news about the National Security Agency’s program receive protection from federal police.

Senators want journalist Glenn Greenwald and his domestic partner, David Miranda, protected because the future testimony of both is considered fundamental to the investigation.

In addition to his stories in Britain’s Guardian newspaper, Greenwald has worked with Brazilian media to publish and broadcast several stories about the NSA program targeting Brazil.

The latest reported that the communications of President Dilma Rousseff herself were targeted.

Brazil’s government has demanded explanations, and aides say Rousseff is weighing whether to cancel a long-planned trip to the U.S. next month.