In Brazil, Business as Usual Often Involves Wiretapping

Under Brazil's laws, wiretapping is meant to be an investigative method of last resort. But it has become a primary tool to crack white-collar cases. According to an estimate released by legislators, Brazil's phone companies received 409,000 judicial wiretapping requests last year. For some, Brazil's wiretapping mania is a holdover from the country's 20-year dictatorship, when secret police kept tabs on political enemies. The government spies were nicknamed arapongas -- after birds known for their metallic, alarming cries. Military rule ended in 1984, but not Brazil's culture of spying. These days, Brazil's political and economic elite are convinced someone is always listening.