Venezuela may be Snowden's chance
Source: Agencies |
July 3, 2013, Wednesday
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NSA leaker Edward Snowden's best chance of finding refuge outside the United States may hinge on President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela, who was in Moscow yesterday meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Maduro told Russian reporters that his country had not received an application for asylum from Snowden and dodged the question of whether he would take Snowden with him when he left.
But Maduro also defended the former National Security Agency systems analyst who released sensitive documents on US intelligence-gathering operations.
"He did not kill anyone and did not plant a bomb," Maduro said ahead of his meeting with Putin. "What he did was tell a great truth in an effort to prevent wars. He deserves protection under international and humanitarian law."
During his Kremlin meeting with Putin, Maduro spoke about plans to build on the strong ties with Russia formed under his late predecessor Hugo Chavez, but neither he nor Putin mentioned Snowden in their public statements.
On Monday, the Izvestia newspaper said that the two presidents would discuss Snowden, adding to speculation that arrangements would be made for him to travel to Venezuela.
Snowden had initially booked flights to Havana, Cuba, and then on to Caracas, Venezuela, before becoming trapped in legal limbo, believed to be unable to leave a Moscow airport transit zone.
Another option for Snowden may be Bolivia, whose president also met with Putin during a summit of major gas exporters in the Kremlin. President Evo Morales said Bolivia would be willing to consider granting asylum.
Last night, Maduro again spoke out in support of Snowden, without giving any more indication of whether he would help him leave Russia.
"Who must protect Snowden? This is the question. This young man of 29 was brave enough to say that we need to protect the world from the American imperial elite, so who should protect him?" Maduro said. "All of mankind, people all over the world must protect him."
Snowden, who recently turned 30, withdrew a bid for asylum in Russia when he learned the terms Moscow had set out. Putin has said Russia was ready to shelter Snowden as long as he stopped leaking US secrets.
At the same time, Putin said he had no plans to turn Snowden over to the US.
Snowden has applied for asylum in Venezuela, Bolivia and 18 other countries, WikiLeaks said. European countries on the list - including Austria, Finland, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Switzerland ? said he would have to make his request on their soil.
WikiLeaks said requests have also been made to Brazil, China, Cuba, Ecuador, France, Iceland, India, Italy and Nicaragua.
WikiLeaks has posted a statement from Snowden on its website, in which he slams US President Barack Obama for "using citizenship as a weapon."
"Although I am convicted of nothing, (the United States) has unilaterally revoked my passport, leaving me a stateless person," Snowden says. "Without any judicial order, the administration now seeks to stop me exercising a basic right. A right that belongs to everybody. The right to seek asylum."
Maduro told Russian reporters that his country had not received an application for asylum from Snowden and dodged the question of whether he would take Snowden with him when he left.
But Maduro also defended the former National Security Agency systems analyst who released sensitive documents on US intelligence-gathering operations.
"He did not kill anyone and did not plant a bomb," Maduro said ahead of his meeting with Putin. "What he did was tell a great truth in an effort to prevent wars. He deserves protection under international and humanitarian law."
During his Kremlin meeting with Putin, Maduro spoke about plans to build on the strong ties with Russia formed under his late predecessor Hugo Chavez, but neither he nor Putin mentioned Snowden in their public statements.
On Monday, the Izvestia newspaper said that the two presidents would discuss Snowden, adding to speculation that arrangements would be made for him to travel to Venezuela.
Snowden had initially booked flights to Havana, Cuba, and then on to Caracas, Venezuela, before becoming trapped in legal limbo, believed to be unable to leave a Moscow airport transit zone.
Another option for Snowden may be Bolivia, whose president also met with Putin during a summit of major gas exporters in the Kremlin. President Evo Morales said Bolivia would be willing to consider granting asylum.
Last night, Maduro again spoke out in support of Snowden, without giving any more indication of whether he would help him leave Russia.
"Who must protect Snowden? This is the question. This young man of 29 was brave enough to say that we need to protect the world from the American imperial elite, so who should protect him?" Maduro said. "All of mankind, people all over the world must protect him."
Snowden, who recently turned 30, withdrew a bid for asylum in Russia when he learned the terms Moscow had set out. Putin has said Russia was ready to shelter Snowden as long as he stopped leaking US secrets.
At the same time, Putin said he had no plans to turn Snowden over to the US.
Snowden has applied for asylum in Venezuela, Bolivia and 18 other countries, WikiLeaks said. European countries on the list - including Austria, Finland, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Switzerland ? said he would have to make his request on their soil.
WikiLeaks said requests have also been made to Brazil, China, Cuba, Ecuador, France, Iceland, India, Italy and Nicaragua.
WikiLeaks has posted a statement from Snowden on its website, in which he slams US President Barack Obama for "using citizenship as a weapon."
"Although I am convicted of nothing, (the United States) has unilaterally revoked my passport, leaving me a stateless person," Snowden says. "Without any judicial order, the administration now seeks to stop me exercising a basic right. A right that belongs to everybody. The right to seek asylum."
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