Brazil plans national Internet redesign in order to avoid US web surveillance

President calls for online independence in Brazil following revelations about NSA espionage

Dilma Rousseff and President Obama talking in the Oval Office in April 2012 (AP)

Brazil’s President, Dilma Rousseff, has announced plans to circumvent US-based Internet services, in a move intended to end the National Security Agency’s cyber surveillance of Brazil.

“Brazil intends to increase its independent Internet connections with other countries,” President Rousseff’s office said in a statement.

The project would involve Brazil opening independent data centre of its own, designed to store locally generated material which would thereby avoid US surveillance.

South America’s largest nation also has plans to build a new underwater fibre optic Iternet cable linking the country to Europe.

President Rousseff’s office said Brazil and the European Union shared a “common understanding” on data privacy.

It added: “Negotiations are underway in South America for the deployment of land connections between all nations.”

Diplomacy between the Brazil and the US countries is already at a low point, with President Rousseff snubbing President Barack Obama earlier in the week by postponing a state visit to the US.

President Rousseff was set was to be a guest at an honorary state dinner celebrating strengthening ties between the two nations.

It has been alleged that the NSA spied on Brazilian state-run oil company Petrobras and intercepted billions of emails and calls to Brazilian citizens.

US Secretary of State John Kerry has previously asked for NSA's actions to be internationally excused, saying they were necessary to combat terrorism.

In a visit to Brazil last month, he said: “Brazil and other countries will understand exactly what we are doing, why and how - and we will work together to make sure that whatever is done is done in a way that respects our friends and our partners.”