Panetta praises U.S. ties with Brazil

RIO DE JANEIRO, April 25 (UPI) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, in Brazil, praised the growing military relationship between the United States and that country in an address Wednesday.

Panetta noted the bond is between two global powers, and welcomed the warming ties between countries in a speech to the Superior War College in Rio de Janeiro.

A statement from the U.S. Department of Defense mentioned numerous united training exercises and real-world operations involving the forces of both countries, including Americans training at the Brazilian Army's Instruction Center for Jungle Warfare, personnel working together following the Haiti earthquake and joint patrols across the southern Atlantic Ocean from Brazil to Africa.

Panetta expressed the need for the two countries to "leverage our extensive technical expertise and exchange more information on cyber policies, training and best practices," noting it could serve Brazil as it prepares for the World Cup soccer matches in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016.