Presidents of Venezuela and Nicaragua Friday announced that their countries were ready to offer asylum to the American whistleblower Edward Snowden who is currently holed up at the Sheremetyevo international airport in Moscow.
The announcements were made in their respective home countries following a meeting of leftist South African leaders condemning the rerouting of Bolivian President's jet after European countries refused to allow it access to their airspace amid reports that the American fugitive Edward Snowden was on the plane. The Bolivian president was flying from Moscow after a meeting with Russian leaders. He was forced to divert the plane to Austria after France and Portugal refused to allow the plane to enter into their airspace.
"As head of state of the Boliviarian republic of Venezuela, I have decided to offer humanitarian asylum to the young Snowden ... to protect this young man from the persecution launched by the most powerful empire in the world," said the Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a televised speech, marking the South American nation's Independence Day.
"He has told the truth, in the spirit of rebellion, about the U.S. spying on the whole world," said Maduro. He said Snowden was not guilty of exposing the U.S. National Security Agency's surveillance programs of monitoring the communications and movements of the people.
A day after the leftist meeting, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said his government was willing to offer political asylum to the American fugitive, "if circumstances permit." The president didn't elaborate what these circumstances were, but confirmed that his government had received the asylum request from Snowden.
"We received a letter sent by Snowden asking for asylum here in Nicaragua. You know what Nicaragua's position is on the matter. We are an open country, respectful of the right to asylum," said Ortega "Of course, if conditions permit, we will receive Snowden with pleasure and give him asylum here."
"We have the sovereign right to help a person who felt remorse after finding out how the United States was using technology to spy on the whole world, and especially its European allies," said Ortega.
Edward Snowden initially flew to Hong Kong and then to Russia following an arrest warrant issued by Washington on charges of espionage and theft of government property.
He made asylum requests to more than 26 countries and several of them including France, India, Norway and Germany rejected the application.
