Finally, there is the issue of Brazil's apparent lack of concern regarding Iran's increasing penetration into Latin America through Venezuela. There are now weekly flights between Caracas and Tehran that bring passengers and cargo into Venezuela without any customs or immigration controls. Venezuela has also signed agreements with Iran for transferring nuclear technology, and there is speculation it is giving Iran access to Venezuelan uranium deposits.
Instead of expressing concern over Iran's activities in Latin America, Brazil is drawing closer to Tehran and hopes to expand its $2 billion bilateral trade to $10 billion in the near future. President Lula recently hosted President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Brazil. He reiterated his support for Iran's right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful uses, while insisting that there is no evidence that Iran is developing nuclear weapons.
They are smuggling uranium to the fourth Reich
Police in the north Brazilian state of Amapa have unearthed a cache with 450 kg of enriched uranium ore, a dangerous mineral used for nuclear arms production.The operation to seize radioactive material was a result of four-month work by investigators, who found a bag of pitchblende on Friday in a remote area of tropical rainforest.
Pitchblende, or uraninite, is an extremely radioactive mineral used as a major component for the production of fuel for nuclear power plants and nuclear arms.
An investigation is underway.
Brazil's nuclear capabilities are considered the most advanced in Latin America. The country runs its sole nuclear power plant, Angra, with two reactors, and a third is under construction.
RIO DE JANEIRO, January 23 (RIA Novosti)
Stephen E HughesOf real concern is the lawless Tri-border area in South America, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay , here Iran has set up shop along with Hezbollah , Al Qaeda and moreStephen E HughesThe Tri-Border Area: a profile of the largest illicit economy in the Western Hemisphere
June 15, 2009
Author: Rachel Brown
Rachel Brown is a contributor to the Task Force on Financial Integrity and Economic Development blog and a senior International Relations major at Tufts University. She has spent much time in Kenya and Guatemala extensively researching corruption.
The Tri-Border Area (TBA) between Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil is comprised of three cities: Puerto Iguazu (Argentina), Ciudad del Este (Paraguay), and Foz do Iguacu (Brazil). The area is well known as a haven for illicit activities ranging from counterfeiting to intellectual property theft to money laundering, and has been pointed to as a central point for the laundering of funds from drug trafficking and for the funding of terrorist organizations (believed to come from supporters within the large Arab population in the region). Specializing in financial crime, the area is known as the “largest illicit economy in the Western Hemisphere.” A Federal Research Division, Library of Congress report notes that while estimates of the amount of money laundered in the TBA vary greatly, the amount was reported to average 12 billion USD per year as of 2000-01.... See More
The same Federal Research Division report states that:
Brazilian authorities have estimated that more than US$6 billion a year in illegal funds is laundered in the TBA. Every evening, a dozen armored trucks loaded with laundered money leave Ciudad del Este for Foz do Iguaçu, the Brazilian town on the opposite side of the border.
http://www.financialtaskforce.org/2009/06/15/the-tri-border-area-a-profile-of-the-largest-illicit-economy-in-the-western-hemisphere/Stephen E HughesSome reports you can down load
the concern is Iran's ties to the radical Lebanon-based Islamic group Hezbollah ... (Also see “Iran's Growing Relations with Latin America” and “Tri-Border Area of ... border area of South America
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/terror/RS21049.pdf
Islamic Terrorism In Latin America
Nicole M. Ferrand. * March 2009 ... See More
Over the years, there has been disturbing information about the presence of radical Islamic terrorist groups in Latin America. The Americas Report has published several articles regarding this subject including a recent article on how terrorists have and could use fake or doctored passports to enter the United States to carry out attacks.1 In light of this information, it is important to know which Islamic terror groups are present in the region and the threat they could pose to regional security.
http://www.il-rs.org.br/ingles/arquivos/The_Americas_March_11_2009.pdfvia facebook.com
