Venezuelan President offers Asylum to Snowden

Venezuela has offered humanitarian asylum to Edward Snowden the leaker of intelligence information from the National Security Agency.

On Friday, President Nicolas Maduro suggested his country would be able to offer Snowden a way to leave the airport in Moscow, but gave no details as to how it would be accomplished.

Daniel Ortega, the President of Nicaragua also said the Central American country would consider Snowden?s asylum request.

What is still not clear is how Snowden would make his arrival to either of the countries. No direct commercial flights go from Moscow to Venezuela.

Also, last week Ecuador offered Snowden asylum if he were able to arrive to their country, but all commercial flights between Moscow and Ecuador include connections in countries that share extradition treaties with the U.S.

However, Snowden could fly direct from Moscow to Cuba and then on to Venezuela. Cuba has an extradition treaty with the U.S., but it is not considered a worry for Snowden.

Maduro made his announcement offering Snowden asylum while celebrating Independence Day in Venezuela.

Maduro?s comments come just a day after the Venezuela leader, the heir to Hugo Chavez, said he would reject the request of the U.S. to extradite Snowden, which was received early in the week at the Foreign Ministry in Venezuela.

Publically Maduro has said that Snowden is a valiant man who deserves protection by humanity and praised him for unmasking the espionage efforts of the U.S. at both home and abroad.

A senior official from the U.S. said the invitation by Maduro appeared to by symbolic at this juncture, since Snowden?s fate, said the official, was still largely in the hands of the Russian government and whether it is willing to transport him to Caracas.

Source: http://www.ssuchronicle.com/2013/07/06/venezuelan-president-offers-asylum-to-snowden/

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