Russian Warns Snowden, Venezuela Offer ‘Last Chance’ for Political Asylum

Venezuela’s offer of asylum could be NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden’s “last chance” to avoid extradition to the US, an influential member of the Russian parliament suggested Sunday. Alexei Pushkov, who chairs the Duma’s foreign affairs committee and is seen to have the ear of the Kremlin, made the comment in a tweet, having previously stated his views that a move to Caracas would be the “best solution” for the fugitive. On Friday and Saturday, three South America countries – Bolivia,Nicaragua and Venezuela – offered asylum to the man wanted in the US for leaking documents unveiling the extent of its domestic and international surveillance programme.

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Venezuela Rejects US Extradition Request

Maduro told the Telesur TV channel that Venezuela had received an extradition request from the US, which he had already rejected. A copy of the request, seen by the Guardian, notes that Snowden “unlawfully released classified information and documents to international media outlets” and names the Guardian and the Washington Post. Dated 3 July and sent in English and Spanish, it says: “The United States seeks Snowden’s provisional arrest should Snowden seek to travel to or transit through Venezuela. Snowden is a flight risk because of the substantial charges he is facing and his current and active attempts to remain a fugitive.” Maduro said he did not accept the grounds for the charges. “He has told the truth, in the spirit of rebellion, about the US spying on the whole world,” Maduro said in his latest speech. “Who is the guilty one?

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Russians Signal Openness to Venezuela’s Offer to Shelter Snowden

Key Russians are stating approval for asylum in Venezuela for Edward Snowden. The central question, though, is how Snowden might get to Venezuela. Until now, Russia has been saying he cannot fly out without proper documents, following the revocation of his U.S. passport. On Saturday, a lieutenant colonel in the FSB reserve, Anatoly Yermolin, told the radio station Ekho Moskvy that Russia could grant Snowden status as a “stateless person,” and that would allow him to leave without further complications. But a more difficult question is: by what route? Direct commercial flights from Moscow to Havana cross European airspace, and after the refusal of France, Italy and Spain to allow an overflightTuesday by Bolivian President Evo Morales, that route would seem to be problematic for Snowden. He might have to rely on a private plane, following a roundabout course, if he were to reach Caracas.

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‘Not Your Colony’: Bolivia Threatens Shutdown of US Embassy

In a show of support, Presidents Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela, Cristina Kirchner of Argentina, Rafael Correa of Ecuador, Jose Mujica of Uruguay and Desi Bouterse of Suriname met with Morales in the central city of Cochabamba. Bolivia’s president threatened to close the US embassy as leftist Latin American leaders joined him in blasting Europe and the United States after his plane was rerouted amid suspicions US fugitive Edward Snowden was aboard. At a rally before the meeting, Maduro claimed that the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had ordered France, Portugal, Italy and Spain to deny access to Morales’s plane on Tuesday. After the meeting, the leaders issued a statement calling on the European governments to publicly apologize “in relation to the serious incidents that occurred,” but Morales said earlier that apologies were not enough. Correa said the leaders would “take decisions and show that we won’t accept this sort of humiliation against any country of (Latin) America.”

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Venezuela Renews Offer of Humanitarian Aid to Snowden, Visits Russia

Pres. Maduro lands in Russia Monday has said he wants to offer humanitarian aid to US persecuted human rights defender and NSA surveillance whistleblower Edward Snowden. Maduro described Snowden’s actions as “the rebellion of truth,” according to Press TV. “If that young man needs humanitarian protection and believes that he can come toVenezuela,” then Venezuela “is prepared to protect this brave youth in a humanitarian way and so that humanity can learn the truth,” Maduro said Thursday.

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