The vice-president of the United States, Joe Biden, spoke to journalists Tuesday (June 17) as he reached Palácio do Planalto, the presidential palace, for a meeting with President Dilma Rousseff. Asked by journalists if he believes that the US relations with Brazil can be fully restored even after the allegations of US spying on several country leaders, he said “I am confident they can”.

This has been the first visit of the US vice-president in Brazil after the episode. Last year, Rousseff called off a state visit to the US in October after reports came out that the US was spying on communications data from Petrobras and herself.

Biden came to Brazil to watch the US play Ghana as part of the World Cup in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, on Monday (16). The US won by 2-1. The US Embassy said he is heading for Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Guatemala from Brazil.