Venezuela offers asylum...

[allin99]

Last edited Fri Jun 28, 2013, 02:07 PM - Edit history (3)

no idea if this is true or not, but a few international sites are posting it. I originally quoted presstv but dunno about that site but another DU linked the other sites:

(original post)

http://zeenews.india.com/news/world/venezuela-s-maduro-reiterates-snowden-asylum-offer_858469.html

"If that young man needs humanitarian protection and believes that he can come to Venezuela," then Venezuela "is prepared to protect this brave youth in a humanitarian way and so that humanity can learn the truth," and his ordeal can end, Maduro said on Thursday.

"In addition, Maduro threw his weight behind Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa for his pullout of a trade pact with the United States on Thursday." According to Correa, the decision was made after Ecuador became an instrument of “blackmail” by the United States.

“Who deserves protection, the young Snowden, or those who plant bombs? It’s a reflection that we make to the people of the United States and of the world. We defend (Snowden) because ... the denunciations he has made in a very brave way, serve to change the world,” Maduro said.

[geek tragedy]

1. shocking. nt

[Recursion]

2. Interesting

"If he can get here, we'll take him in."

Not sure how much help that is for Snowden.

[flamingdem]

3. From what I can tell there are no nonstop flights from Moscow to Caracas

Thus there is little risk for the moment in making the invitation.

The only way to get there would be through Cuba or via Africa perhaps on a charter flight.

Cuba has a lot to lose by allowing Snowden to transit through Havana.

[allin99]

4. Ah. thanks. My geography sucks. :D. I remember someone offering him a flight...

but that was early on, i think people are waiting to see more backstory on him, like other things he's posted online.

[geek tragedy]

5. What would Cuba have to lose? nt

[bahrbearian]

6. We would probably have to embargo Cuba.

[geek tragedy]

7. Inconceivable! nt

[flamingdem]

11. Lots. They agreed in 2006 to extradict any US fugitives and they're trying to get 4 Cubans

back who were accused of espionage.

Plus, lately relations are warming, they're desperate for normalization due to financial straights

[Taverner]

12. Moscow -> Havana, Havana -> Caracas

Use Aeroflot to Havana, Cubana to Caracas

[flamingdem]

13. havana is not buying imo

too much too lose and not naive

[allin99]

15. he could do this...

here's the guy who was willing to fly him:

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/iceland-businessman-plane-ready-snowden-19454991

even though it's not to iceland, snowden could easily raise the money through ron paul supporters for the fuel, then dude would do iceland ->russia->africa->venezeula.

i wonder why he doesn't just do that? Any reason that wouldn't work?

[flamingdem]

16. too expensive, we're talking millions

Iceland seems to have walked back and offers, that offer is a week old and hasn't been repeated, I think

[allin99]

18. wow, millions?! Snowden's screwed. lol.

[flamingdem]

19. unless greenwald, ellsberg, oliver stone, chomsky wanna take out a loan!

maybe Putin would kick in

[allin99]

24. lol. i wouldn't be surprised if they did! lol

[SidDithers]

8. presstv...

FFS.

Sid

[allin99]

17. oh, are they a shady site? yeah, cuz i don't see it....

written anywhere else.

[bvar22]

9. Blowback!

This is the result of our deranged Foreign Policy toward Venezuela,
and ALL of Latin America.

You would think that a country that pays so much Lip Service to words like "democracy" and "transparent elections" would have more respect for the Real Thing.


VIVA Democracy!
I pray we get some here soon!

[backscatter712]

10. Blowback indeed.

After centuries of throwing out democratic governments and inflicting the peoples of Latin and South America with tin-pot dictators, there's gonna be a wee bit of resentment...

[truebluegreen]

14. +100

[bvar22]

20. I had "hope" for "change" to a more enlightened Foreign Policy in Latin America,

but NO. More of the same.

I was stunned that the man who wouldn't even question a national election that was stolen from him in 2004 would have the audacity to attack the validity of the recent transparent, verifiable election in Venezuela.
This was the PERFECT opportunity to begin the repair of the damage caused by over a century of abuse.

As long as the US (Democrats & Republicans) continue to demonize the emerging transparent democracies in Latin America,
and continues to put our full support behind the few remaining Right Wing Repressive Police States, like Colombia,
we will continue to chase these countries, and their emerging markets,
straight into the arms of Russia, China, and Iran.

[Catherina]

21. Not a fake site Allin99 and nothing untrue about it either

Venezuela has offered asylum to Snowden. They sent Snowden a public message that if he requests it, they will seriously look into it.

"If they proposed it, and it seems that it has been requested of Ecuador … we would also consider it," said Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela's President, of a possible asylum bid today. He said that the "information on the violation of civil liberties" leaked by Snowden could "change the world".

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/venezuela-offers-edward-snowden-hope-of-asylum--but-for-now-whistleblower-is-grounded-at-moscow-airport-as-vladimir-putin-refuses-extradition-8674216.html

However Snowden appeared to have another serious option after Maduro, the successor to Hugo Chavez, spoke warm words about him.

“We have not received an official request from Snowden for political asylum. If one were made, like the request to Ecuador that President Correa is evaluating, if they made the request to us we would evaluate it also because in every case asylum is a humanitarian protection,” he told reporters.

“In any case no-one has asked us (about an asylum request) for now, but we say and advocate that someone in the world should stand with this young man and protect him, the revelations he has made with courage serve to change the world,” he added.

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/06/26/19149609-chavez-successor-praises-snowden-offers-to-consider-asylum?lite

and lest there be any doubt as some seem to have told you based on your edit (I don't know, as my ignore list filters out several people in this thread), Venezuela reiterated its offer.

Caracas: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has reiterated his offer to grant asylum to fugitive US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden, whom he praised as a "brave youth."

"If that young man needs humanitarian protection and believes that he can come to Venezuela," then Venezuela "is prepared to protect this brave youth in a humanitarian way and so that humanity can learn the truth," and his ordeal can end, Maduro said.

http://zeenews.india.com/news/world/venezuela-s-maduro-reiterates-snowden-asylum-offer_858469.html

and earlier today sent Ecuador's President its public congratulations for telling the US to take a hike.

Don't believe the hype lol.

Mérida, 26th July 2013 (Venezuelanalysis.com) – “This guy, [Edward] Snowden... has surprised the world in order to ...improve humanity...this youth deserves humanitarian protection,” Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said yesterday at a press conference in Port-au-Prince after meeting with Haiti’s president.

...

“What would happen if it was discovered that Venezuela, a humble country, were spying on the whole world? All the organisations, the (U.N.) Security Council would come down on Venezuela straight away,” Maduro said.

He emphasised that Ecuador is evaluating possible political asylum for Snowden, and that no one has requested asylum in Venezuelan in relation to the case, but that if they were to do so, “we would evaluate it as well”.

The Venezuelan president went on to remember the case of Nelson Mandela, “who was internationally persecuted and characterised as one of the most wanted terrorists by the United States”. On the other hand, he argued, the U.S. government protects “terrorists”, such as Venezuelan Luis Posada Carriles, “who flew the Cubana de Aviacion plane and killed over 70 people”.

“Who deserves protection, the young Snowden, or those who plant bombs? It’s a reflection that we make to the people of the United States and of the world. We defend (Snowden) because ... the denunciations he has made in a very brave way, serve to change the world,” Maduro said.

....

http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/9765

[allin99]

22. lmao @ "the young snowden". :D. Cool, thanks.

[Catherina]

23. You're welcome. n/t