Biden seeks to repair relations with Brazil

Vice President Biden spent New Year's Day on a sensitive diplomatic mission to Brazil.

Seeking to repair ruptured relations with Brazil, Biden attended the inauguration of President Dilma Rousseff — an outspoken critic of National Security Council surveillance policies that included spying on her government.

Meeting Thursday with Rousseff on the sidelines of the inaugural festivities, Biden "congratulated her on behalf of President Obama and underscored the strategic importance of the U.S.-Brazil relationship," a White House statement said.

Biden and Rousseff "agreed on the need to work in equal partnership to develop a robust and ambitious agenda for renewed bilateral, regional, and global cooperation," the White House said.

From the Associated Press:

"The White House is still seeking to repair its relationship with Rousseff following revelations by National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden that the U.S. had spied on Rousseff's communications. She was outraged and canceled plans to come to Washington for a rare state visit.

"Rousseff was re-elected in October."