WASHINGTON — Secretary of State John Kerry's trip to Colombia and Brazil this week builds on efforts to deepen relations with Latin America, but he can expect a curt reception from the two US allies after reports that an American spy program widely targeted data in e-mails and telephone calls across the region.
On Kerry's first visit to South America as the Obama administration's chief diplomat, the disclosures by National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden could chill talks on trade and energy, and even discussions about the Oct. 23 state dinner that President Obama is hosting for Brazil's president, Dilma Rousseff.
''I don't think this is going to be a warm 'abrazo,' '' said Michael Shifter, president of the Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue, using the Spanish word for ''hug.'' "I think it will be businesslike.''
Kerry was scheduled to arrive early Monday in Bogota. Colombia is holding peace talks to end a half-century conflict with the Western Hemisphere's most potent rebel army, a force diminished in strength thanks in considerable measure to US military and intelligence support.
The United States wants to support peace talks between Colombia's government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, which are occurring in Cuba.
Colombia is one of the United States' closest allies in the region, but the reports about the spy program have rankled Colombian officials.
Brazil's O Globo newspaper reported last month that citizens of Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, and other nations were among the targets of a massive NSA operation to secretly gather data on phone calls and Web communications worldwide. The reports were based on information from Snowden.
Colombia's president, Juan Manuel Santos, said he wanted clarification from Washington on whether US data-gathering in Colombia had overstepped the nations' joint operations against drug traffickers and illegal armed groups.
Santos said Vice President Joe Biden called him about the issue after revelations by Snowden that US digital snooping targeted allies as well as foes. Santos said Biden offered explanations. Asked if he was satisfied with them, Santos replied, ''We are in that process.''
Biden also called Rousseff to express what Brazil's communications minister, Helena Chagas, said was ''his regret over the negative repercussions caused by the disclosures.''