Bolivian President Morales' plane rerouted, forced to land in Austria on suspicion Snowden on board

[Catherina]

Last edited Tue Jul 2, 2013, 10:22 PM - Edit history (3)

per twitter.

Portugal refused landing rights for refueling or any other purpose

UPDATE:

By day’s end, outraged Bolivian officials, insisting that Mr. Snowden was not on the plane, were accusing France and Portugal of acting under American pressure to rescind permission for President Evo Morales’s plane to traverse their airspace on the way back to Bolivia. Low on fuel, the plane’s crew won permission to land in Vienna.

“They say it was due to technical issues, but after getting explanations from some authorities we found that there appeared to be some unfounded suspicions that Mr. Snowden was on the plane,” the Bolivian foreign minister, David Choquehuanca, told reporters after the plane touched down in Vienna, where Mr. Morales was spending the night.

...

Rubén Saavedra, the defense minister, who was on the plane with Mr. Morales, accused the Obama administration of being behind the action by France and Portugal, calling it “an attitude of sabotage and a plot by the government of the United States.”

There was no immediate response by officials in Paris, Lisbon or Washington.

“We were in flight; it was completely unexpected,” Mr. Saavedra said on the Telesur cable network. “The president was very angry.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/03/world/europe/snowden.html

Snowden: "The Obama administration is afraid of you. It is afraid of an informed, angry public"

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/10154064/Edward-Snowdens-WikiLeaks-statement-in-full.html

[Catherina]

1. France and Portugal refusing their air space

RadioTv News ?@RadioTv_News 15s

Por sospecha de que Edward Snowden estaba en avión de Evo Morales, Francia y Portugal le niegan cruzar espacio aéreo. Aeronave desviada.

[Catherina]

2. Bolivia: Presidential plane forced to land after false rumors of Snowden onboard

Bolivia: Presidential plane forced to land after false rumors of Snowden onboard
By Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN
July 2, 2013 -- Updated 2223 GMT (0623 HKT)

(CNN) -- Bolivian officials say an official aircraft carrying President Evo Morales had to land in Austria on Tuesday after false rumors circulated that former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden was onboard.

Portuguese and French authorities wouldn't let the plane land in their territories, Bolivian Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca told reporters.

"We are told that there were some unfounded suspicions that Mr. Snowden was on the plane," Choquehuanca said. "We do not know who has invented this lie. Someone who wants to harm our country. This information that has been circulated is malicious information to harm this country."

...

"Portugal owes us an explanation. France owes us an explanation. ... The president's life was put at risk," Choquehuanca said.

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/07/02/world/americas/bolivia-presidential-plane/index.html

The US government has lost its fucking mind.

[limpyhobbler]

19. +1 For lost its mind.

Sheer insanity. If these reports are accurate I'm kind of shocked. We can't be bullying other countries around like that. They must really want to get Snowden to make an example of him.

[MjolnirTime]

32. You're just upset because you want lil Eddie to escape into the Sunset.

He's going down.

He made sure of that.

[truedelphi]

44. it shuld be Geithner and Bernanke on that plane - trying to avoid jail time. n/t

[Catherina]

3. Spain too.

Spain, Portugal and France refuse Evo Morales' landing rights because of Snowden

....

http://www.20minutos.es/noticia/1861639/0/snowden/evo-morales/aterrizaje-avion/

[reorg]

18. all of those countries cooperated with CIA abduction flights

so the CIA could leak some embarrassing info, I guess.

[stevenleser]

4. Well, that sends a message.

If he plans to try to go to somewhere in central or south America, he better take off in a plane that doesnt need to stop anywhere or overfly Europe.

[kentuck]

5. That definitely sends a message...

What it is, I'm not exactly sure?

[stevenleser]

6. Message is, the places he can go in the world, or even overfly or stop in, are few and far between

His options are closing fast.

[flamingdem]

7. I don't think the Administration sent that message, though it's true

Much more likely Assange sent the message. It was manipulation by rumor to create a certain impression, note all the unfavorable reactions to possible US bullying in this case. Even by those who'd like to see Snowden face US justice.

[Renew Deal]

53. What unfavorable reactions?

I haven't seen one from anyone in power othe than maybe Bolivia.

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. Plus "fuck you Bolivia, we'll push your president around when we feel like it"

I'm amazed they'd do this to him.

[flamingdem]

10. The only "they" are the countries that have strong treaties with the USA

They heard a rumor and didn't want to have to deal with Snowden.

The question is really, who started the rumor. Who does it benefit when people assume the USA is being a bully.

[muriel_volestrangler]

14. A surprising coincidence that 3 countries reacted in the same way

to 'a rumour'. They wouldn't have been 'dealing with Snowden'. They'd have been refuelling the official plane of the Bolivian president, which they would not have needed to board (and might not be allowed to, either).

When you think how many countries refuelled CIA planes kidnapping people to take to Guantanamo, this is shameful. They wouldn't let a head of state's plane refuel, on the rumour that he had a willing passenger.

[flamingdem]

15. Blame Assange. Think of who is motivated to cause chaos nt

[muriel_volestrangler]

24. Wow, your kneejerk "Assange is an evil poopyhead responsible for the world's ills" reply

Why not just start calling him Emmanuel Goldstein, and have done with it?

[Romulus Quirinus]

28. Amen.

The way some people I once appreciated are acting about this is really icking me out.

[muriel_volestrangler]

30. It's the lowest I've ever seen DU (nt)

[marions ghost]

58. Indicates the importance of the issue

So many people want to bury it...

[kenny blankenship]

71. Just wait.

Things are getting worse by the hour.

[morningfog]

113. It is because the Democratic President has a real cluster fuck on his hands this time.

And the US is botching it every step along the way. Those who are hyper-partisan and loyal to Obama have a hard time reconciling their usual ardent support and the nature of what we are learning.

[Mojorabbit]

76. It is creeping me out too. nt

[Scootaloo]

80. Well, given the admin's stunning tolerance of racism on their site...

It was only a matter of time before that bigot beachhead expanded and allowed the rest of the internet driftwood to wash up on our shores, in all its worm-infested, gnarled glory.

[Sheldon Cooper]

21. I was wondering about that - isn't it an international incident or something?

[MjolnirTime]

35. He's the one who needed gas.

[CakeGrrl]

11. Agreed. This is a hot potato nobody wants. -nt

[East Coast Pirate]

31. Anything goes.

USA! USA! USA!

[stevenleser]

55. Several of these countries have no problem disagreeing with us

And telling us to go to hell if they see fit, for instance France with regard to Iraq

[East Coast Pirate]

59. I was talking about not refuling the president of a country's plane.

I guess you can't see how far in you are.

[stevenleser]

61. I was talking about how your post doesn't make any sense blaming the US for the acts of Europe

Particularly when many of these countries have recently told us to jump in a lake regarding Iraq even when 'W' was threatening them with all kinds of things.

[East Coast Pirate]

65. Oh, the party line.

Deny everything...

[stevenleser]

66. Oh, the know-nothing line. Accuse with no backup just because you want to accuse.

Got it.

[Romulus Quirinus]

110. Are you trying to change his mind, or are you just mugging for the audience? mt

[reorg]

72. So how MANY countries is France

IYO? As far as I can see, the governments of all the other European countries involved in this latest episode were quite willing to participate, even in the Iraq war atrocity. As opposed to the vast majority of the people in those countries.

When it came to CIA kidnappings, again, the governments of Portugal, Spain, Italy, PLUS France, bowed to the wishes of the mighty US. As disgusting as it is, that's just par for the course.

[Scootaloo]

73. Message is, European states still regard Bolivia as a vassal.

Pure asinine behavior on their part.

[Catherina]

9. Ecuador calling for an emergency session of UNASUR for this "tremendous offense"

Last edited Tue Jul 2, 2013, 10:00 PM - Edit history (1)

Ecuadoran FM has information directly from President Morales and the government of Bolivia, they gave us the information about this and we are calling for an emergency session of UNASUR for this "tremendous offense"

Ecuador pedirá reunión extraordinaria de Unasur ante atentado contra Evo Morales

Patiño aseguró que la medida de los países europeos constituye una “tremenda ofensa” en contra del presidente boliviano, y agregó que Ecuador tenía directamente la información, que le fue suministrada por Morales y el Gobierno de Bolivia.

http://www.telesurtv.net/articulos/2013/07/02/ecuador-solicitara-reunion-extraordinaria-a-unasur-para-tratar-atentado-a-evo-morales-4286.html

[flamingdem]

13. So now they're furious with Europe?

Time to take a chill pill. This will blow over because it's about legal treaties and a rumor.

If Bolivia and especially Ecuador can't see, or worse are part, of manipulations by the Assange team, that will end badly.

The rumor no doubt came from the Assange team.

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. You do not get how big of a violation of protocols this is.

[flamingdem]

17. Only an international lawyer does, it might end up in court

Another faux scandal

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. Recall of ambassadors

Expulsions.

Jaysus don't get it

[flamingdem]

25. Blame Assange, he pulls the levers and plants the rumors

from what I can see.

Others will come to their senses

[nadinbrzezinski]

27. You can blame the ghosts if you care to

This is not good.

[zappaman]

57. I see who you are attempting to blame...

[Mojorabbit]

79. That seems like a ridiculous accusation to me but I have an open mind

Do you have anything to back it up? I would love to read it.
Peace, Mojo

[Zorra]

114. Julian does all this by conjuring the power of satan with his magic hubcap diamond star halo.

Patent Pending.

[frylock]

123. GOLDSTEIN!!!

[muriel_volestrangler]

26. Here, let me help you with that quotation:

George Bush poured fuel on the flames of the Iraq contracts dispute yesterday with a sneering dismissal of a suggestion by the German Chancellor that the decision to bar Germany, France Russia and Canada from bidding might violate international law.

"International law? I'd better call my lawyer," the American President joked in response to a reporter's question at the White House.

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/1212-05.htm

Bush actually delivered it with more panache than you. Your contempt for international law is remarkably similar, though.

[ProSense]

23. How big a violation is the lie that created the situation? n/t

[MjolnirTime]

36. sorry, Ecuador. nobody cares.

[nadinbrzezinski]

40. Buzz.

Perhaps you don't

[Romulus Quirinus]

111. Clearly, they hate us for our freedoms. nt

[Zorra]

86. Lol! Please, please, let this be a joint set up by Maduro, Morales, and Correa.

A certain Señor Ehrhart Schneithöhle, businessman from Buenos Aires, is all spray tanned with dyed black hair, and is right now drinking a perfectly made Mojito in a palapa on a beach in los Roques.

[Catherina]

88. Zorra I seriously hope so.

I pmd several people about that very thing last night, and about the possibility of Snowden leaving with either Morales or Maduro, and even made a brief allusion on the board. I don't know if they'd take such a risk but I really hope so. The US government is showing itself to be as vindictive and petty as all shit. Snowden's life is in extreme danger. Remember what another whisteblower said?

Asked what Edward Snowden should expect to happen to him, William Binney, answered, "first tortured, then maybe even rendered and tortured and then incarcerated and then tried and incarcerated or even executed." Interesting that this is what a whistleblower, former Senior level Director at NSA, thinks the U.S. government will do to a citizen.

[Zorra]

100. If our government did not do evil at the behest of the 1%, there would be no need

to torture, burn, cage, and execute whistleblowers who expose the evil. These things would never happen in a real democracy. They will always happen in a plutarchy.

Will they have the unmitigated arrogance to force President Maduro's jet to land as well? Would they shoot his Presidential jet if he refused to cooperate?

The forced landing of President Morales' jet has proven to me, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that we have been right on the money all along, double entendre intended. Ed Snowden wins big, he drew them out into the light for all to see and smell, and the putrid stench of the moral rot of unfettered fascism is making me nauseous.

May you live long, and prosper, Mr. Snowden.

Thanks for all the great info, Catherina.

[Catherina]

103. I just checked on Maduro's jet

The distance from Belarus to Caracas is 4967.6 nautical miles which is within the range of his jet (A319CJ, air range 6300 nautical miles). I really hope no one has the nerve to try this stunt again but I'm not holding my breath.

I agree with you. Edward Snowden already won big. Not even a pretense of decency, respect for law, respect for others. Not even the pretense.

May you live long, and prosper, Mr. Snowden.

[morningfog]

115. That would be awesome.

[Catherina]

12. The plane is a Dassault Falcon 900EX

Can be tracked here: http://www.flightradar24.com/data/airplanes/fab-001

Unless it's been modified, its air range is 4,300 nautical miles

[nadinbrzezinski]

20. The extent te US is going

I now gotta wonder if Snowden got the crown Jewell's.

[lunasun]

101. said he was 29 yr old hacker

seems he hacked something up
threatening to end trade contraxts, Putin's timidness , possibly involvement in today's antics

"Our Washington bureau chief, Dan Roberts, has been assessing the potential fallout from the diplomatic row over the diversion of Morales's flight to Vienna. He writes:

Though the White House declined to confirm whether it ordered Western European allies to block the diplomatic flight containing Bolivia's president, the affair casts further doubt on promises made by Barack Obama that the US would "not scramble jets" to retrieve the whistleblower who has brought so much embarrassment upon his administration."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/03/edward-snowden-asylum-live?CMP=twt_gu&commentpage=2
Comments in link give wonder too about opinions over the pond on this incident

[Octafish]

29. That is the action of an empire, not a democracy.

We the People? If the warmonger banksters get their way, we're history.

[nadinbrzezinski]

33. I wonder what kinds of threats are going to the junior

Provinces after two world powers openly flaunted us?

[Catherina]

56. "They have completely lost balance – George Orwell is nothing by comparison."

"The spying has reached dimensions that I didn’t think were possible in a democratic country. Such behavior among allies is intolerable. They have completely lost balance – George Orwell is nothing by comparison."

- Elmar Brok, chairman of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee

[Cleita]

122. Yes, welcome back to the Middle Ages. n/t

[Catherina]

34. Morales landed in Vienna, Snowden is not on board

Last edited Tue Jul 2, 2013, 09:34 PM - Edit history (1)

Morales landed in Vienna, Snowden is not on board

...

The French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, questioned by AFP, said he is not aware of the case. The French Foreign Ministry has said they are not able to comment on this information.

...

"The Bolivian government had intended to make a technical stop in Portugal but Lisbon inexplicably informed us it was annulling airspace and landing rights" said M. Choquehuanca.

He explained that "the government had tried to prepare a new flight plan for the President's plane to land in Spain, which had cleared the aircraft to resupply in the Canary Islands, but while President Morales was in flight, France informed us that it had canceled permission to fly over French territory".

...

http://www.romandie.com/news/n/_Morales_a_atterri_a_Vienne_Snowden_pas_dans_l_avion_76030720130114.asp

When asked about the Bolivian plane incident, a spokesman for the French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault’s office told NBC News, "No comment on the affair, no confirmation nor denial."

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/07/02/19248688-specter-of-snowden-grounds-bolivian-presidential-plane

[nadinbrzezinski]

37. These are the things that make ya wonder

Aren't they?

I gotta admit, all this might actually start (or rather accelerate) the process started in conasur to get the hell away from the west.

[Catherina]

63. Accelerate UNASUR's trajectory into the arms of Russia and China for sure

What breath-taking arrogance!

[Luminous Animal]

87. True that!

[Waiting For Everyman]

38. Wow, that is screwed up.

I used to think Europeans were so strong on human rights principles, like asylum. Apparently not. Apparently not pissing off the US matters a lot more.

[Catherina]

41. The 1% is global and tight. I'm actually glad people are witnessing this

None of them serve the people. Look what happened to the Greeks and the Portuguese people while their politicians live high off of the people's labor.

[Waiting For Everyman]

45. Very true.

This is providing a learning opportunity in more ways than one.

[Catherina]

39. Bolivian Presidential Protection detail deploys at Vienna terminal

Matthew James Dodson ?@matthewdodson64 58s

#Snowden #Morales Bolivian Presidential Protection detail deploys at Vienna terminal as Snowden status still in question.

I don't know how valid this tweet is ^^^^

[WillyT]

42. K & R !!!

[nadinbrzezinski]

43. Ok...are we going to go to war over Edward Snowden

It looks like a NATO wide alert. And a head of state is now trapped in a landlocked country.

Wtf on steroids!!!

[Cleita]

46. They just reported this on The Young Turks as well although they say it's

unconfirmed.

[nadinbrzezinski]

47. Venezuela is qualifying this

As an act of aggression by Portugal, Spain and France.

[Catherina]

48. Venezuela qualifies this as an act of aggression

Rough and dirty, one pass translation

Elías Jaua, Venezuela's Minister of Foreign Affairs is in consultation with other Latin American PMs to make a statement of condemnation for what just took place

EL UNIVERSAL
martes 2 de julio de 2013 07:02 PM
Caracas.- The government of Venezuela qualifies the refusal of France and Portugal for the aircraft of the President of Bolivia, Evo Morales, to transit through their territory, on suspicion that Edward Snowden was on board, as a "rude and brutal aggression".

...

Jaua described what happened as "unusual" and talked about "the obsession of elites who rule the United States to hunt down a young man when all he said was the truth."

"We reserve the actions necessary to defend the dignity of a Latin American President, of a Latin American people as the Bolivian people," added Jaua from Belarus, where he is accompanying the Venezuelan president, Nicolas Maduro, on an official visit to that country.

...

The Venezuelan Foreign Minister said that the arguments of the governments of France and Portugal for not allowing Morales into their airspace for technical reasons "are absolutely false".

"These governments must assume full responsibility what they did and Latin America and the Caribbean should require clarification and an apology for this serious enough outrage to President Evo Morales," he said.

http://www.eluniversal.com/internacional/caso-snowden/130702/venezuela-califica-de-agresion-negativas-de-aterrizaje-a-avion-de-mora

[Catherina]

49. greenwald: I'll be on with @chrislhayes in a few minutes talking about diversion of Morales' plane..

Film Fatale ?@FilmFatale_NYC 1m

RT @ggreenwald: I'll be on with @chrislhayes in a few minutes talking about diversion of Morales' plane, NSA, Snowden, etc.

[Catherina]

50. This didn't just happen out of the blue.

I bookmarked this about 8 hours ago. Rough and dirty translation

The Spanish Government, on alert to the risk that Snowden will be on Evo Morales's plane

l. ayllón
Day 02/07/2013 - 10:36 p.m.
Bolivian President asked permission to scale Spain this morning

... is speculated that Snowden might travel with Maduro and Spain was forced to study the problem that would arise if the president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, decided to transport Snowden on his plane to Caracas and asked to stop over in Spain. Finally, the Chavista decided to travel to Belarus instead.

The authorities of our country studied the situation on what to do if the U.S. requested that Spain apprehend Snowden when the plane stopped over. Legal experts consulted said that Spain could not acquiesce to such a request from the U.S. request because security forces can not enter the plane of State Venezuela and can not even ask for the list of people on board.

http://www.abc.es/internacional/20130702/abci-snowden-maduro-espana-201307021752.html

[BlueCheese]

51. Wait...

Did we (the U.S. and its allies) really force down the plane of another country's president to look for a fugitive? And he wasn't even on the flight?

Ugh. Talk about bullying.

[Catherina]

54. Showing the world our true colors too n/t

[Catherina]

52. Austria: Rumors that Snowden was on board the plane that landed in Vienna are not accurate.

What they really mean is NSA fucked up.

Cambio 51 Diario Digital, Edición Internacional · 415 like this
5 minutes ago ·

VIENA. Austria confirma que el Evo Morales está en Austria, pero no Snowden. El presidente boliviano, Evo Morales, aterrizó en el aeropuerto de Viena procedente de Moscú "sin Edward Snowden ", ha confirmado a AFP un portavoz del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Austria.

https://www.facebook.com/Cambio51Int/posts/670684822945582

[neverforget]

60. Imagine if this had been Air Force 1

and the uproar this would have caused here in the US all based on a rumor

[Catherina]

67. A rumor or intel from the US?

Several European papers are saying this was based on intel from the US.

But to your point, it's unimaginable. The Dingbat Factory would be calling for blood if it had been Air Force 1.

[neverforget]

69. It is unimaginable and it would be at least a major international incident or at

most an act of war.

[Catherina]

62. "This is a hostile act by the United States State Department," says Bolivian Defense Minister

"This is a hostile act by the United States State Department," says Bolivian Defense Minister

...

“This is a hostile act by the United States State Department which has used various European governments,” said Bolivian Defense Minister Ruben Saavedra, who was on the flight.

Choquehuanca said in a statement that after France and Portugal canceled authorization for the flight, Spain’s government allowed the plane to be refueled in its territory. From there the Falcon plane flew on to Vienna.

He said the decision by France and Portugal “put at risk the life of the president.”

...

In Venezuela, Foreign Minister Elias Jaua condemned the decision by France and Portugal.

“All the countries that have denied permission for the flight of our brother president, Evo Morales, must be held responsible for his life and his dignity as president.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/bolivian-minister-evo-morales-plane-rerouted-to-austria-on-suspicion-snowden-on-board/2013/07/02/af7a3eb4-e366-11e2-bffd-37a36ddab820_story.html

[HipChick]

68. So...the US still has clout..

[BenzoDia]

70. No kidding! I'm amazed by this display of power after all the EU outrage.

[HipChick]

74. I'm pretty impressed

[Scootaloo]

75. Well, you know, Bolivia is "our backyard" according to Sec. Kerry

I don't give a flying fuck about Snowden or his fucking Where's Waldo outfit. I do give a damn at the treatment delivered to Morales over false suspicion, and my nation's possible (probable) involvement in such.

[Catherina]

64. Italy has also been confirmed as a state that refused airspace to President Morales of Boliva's jet,

WikiLeaks ?@wikileaks 39m

Italy has also been confirmed as a state that refused airspace to President Morales of Boliva's jet, suspected of carrying Edward Snowden.

[Catherina]

77. "Officials at the White House were not immediately able to comment..."

...

A diplomat with Bolivia's embassy in Vienna told the Associated Press the Bolivian president was in the airport's VIP lounge. She said she did not know whether Snowden was with him.

Officials at the White House were not immediately able to comment on whether it had pressured western European allies to refuse to allow the plane to enter their airspace.

...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/03/edward-snowden-bolivia-plane-vienna

[HipChick]

109. They were prob too busy giggling in the back..

[grasswire]

78. very clever! a trial balloon!

Now Snowden knows what lengths are being taken against him.

[wtmusic]

81. Good call. nt

[alcibiades_mystery]

94. Yes, the man stuck in the Moscow Transit Terminal is a veritable genius

[Catherina]

82. the plane was forced to circle for three hours before being allowed to land in Vienna

After being informed mid-flight that it could not cross French air space, the Portuguese and Italian governments also said that the plane could not cross their air spaces. President Morales was described as being very upset. One Bolivian official says these countries were acting on wrong information and that this put Morales' life in danger. Bolivian TV says the plane was forced to circle for three hours before being allowed to land in Vienna.

[alcibiades_mystery]

95. I was forced to circle Chicago and Milwaukee once because of thunderstorms

Or were they rumors of thunderstorms. In any case, we landed in Madison and UI was un-fucking-thrilled, as you can imagine. So, you know, I feel Evo fuh real, Evo.

[BlueCheese]

83. So far most of the reports I've seen...

... have cited the Bolivian government's statements in reporting the denial of airspace, etc. to . I think the European countries involved haven't said whether these statements are true. I would like to hear them confirm or deny it.

Clearly something happened, because there's no doubt Morales ended up landing in Vienna, right?

Edited for clarity.

[Catherina]

90. He's spending the night in Vienna according to latest reports.

The French refuse to "confirm or deny". The White House was "not immediately able to comment".

[alcibiades_mystery]

93. There are worse things in life than spending the night in Vienna

[wtmusic]

84. The French would shoot the plane down?

Come on. Has it really come to this?

[Gravitycollapse]

89. This is a massive breach of trust and common decency.

We are bullies, plain and simple.

[alcibiades_mystery]

92. Yes, Gawd forbid that there be a breach of trust in the Snowden matter

[Skip Intro]

98. Nobody biting tonight, eh?

[alcibiades_mystery]

99. Just you, playah

[Gravitycollapse]

102. Do you understand how serious it is to deny airspace to a head of state?

[kenny blankenship]

104. On their planet, there is only ONE head of state.

And he's their Magic Friend.

[alcibiades_mystery]

106. Tra la la

"We" are certainly not as serious and righteous as you, kenny!

[alcibiades_mystery]

107. I'm sure you will take pains to explain it to me

[Cleita]

116. It doesn't matter with beaners. The USA through the Monroe Doctrine has been treating

all of Latin America like naughty children, who don't mind, for a century or more. Yes, I find what they are doing very disrespectful, but like I said with beaners, it's different. btw, I'm a beaner if you want to go into shock.

[Catherina]

91. Ecuador discovered a hidden microphone in their London Embassy

Interesting detail buried here: Ecuador discovered a hidden microphone in their London Embassy

2013-07-02

...

Ecuador’s Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said his country is still considering asylum for Snowden although it’s not helping him leave Moscow. Patino told reporters in Quito last night that his own communications have been “hacked” and that his government found a hidden microphone in its embassy in London.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-02/snowden-retracts-russian-asylum-request-as-refuge-options-narrow.html

And now we know how Reuters was able to publish Snowden's letter to President Correa before Correa had even received it. Their FM Patino tweeted about that yesterday. The first time they saw Snowden's private email to them was in the news.

Ricardo Patiño Aroca ?@RicardoPatinoEC 18h

In this world where (they say) it is "normal" to spy on each other, we find out about our letters through the media. What nonsense!

En este mundo en el que "es normal" espiarse mutuamente, conoceremos nuestras cartas a través de los medios. ¡Qué disparate!

https://twitter.com/RicardoPatinoEC/status/351969776366661633

Ricardo Patiño Aroca ?@RicardoPatinoEC

The letter written by Snowden was handed to the President @MashiRafael hours after publication by news agencies. Efficient spies

Carta que redactó Snowden la entregué al presidente @MashiRafael horas después de su publicación por agencias de noticias. Espías eficientes

https://twitter.com/RicardoPatinoEC/status/351967883263348737

And while we're on the subject, the US and UK press have been lying about Correa not processing Snowden's asylum claim anymore. Chief anti-Chavez propagandist Rory Carroll, also of the Guardian, took a bunch of quotes and cleverly re-arranged them. Then other media outlets ran with his story and embroidered on it. Patino denounced that also.

Our reaction is one of desperation on the cusp of madness.

[reorg]

118. "the US and UK press have been lying about Correa not processing Snowden's asylum claim"

I would like to learn more about this. Correa has denounced the Guardian, but not really clarified what is actually happening.

[Catherina]

121. Here's a little

Rory Carroll is a Chavez hater from way back. Chavez called him a Republican to his face. Carroll took a bunch of quotes and rearranged them, distorted them in the blue-link tradition, to support his conclusion that Correa was taking his distance.

Correa also denounced the US press, specifically the Washington Post. I'll try to get back to you with more details but this article will help fill in some dots you know enough about Latin America to connect.

The Venezuelan opposition, for whom Carroll has carried water for years, is also involved. http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/exposing-dark-forces-behind-snowden-smears?paging=off

I'm keeping an eye on that plane right now

[Catherina]

124. Ecuador Foreign Min @RicardoPatinoEC says #Snowden case

Ecuador Foreign Min @RicardoPatinoEC says #Snowden case is still under consideration. http://cancilleria.gob.ec/canciller-afirma-que-solicitud-de-asilo-de-snowden-continua-en-analisis/ …

[kenny blankenship]

96. If true, these are the actions of a petty Tyrant!

HOW DARE this pipsqueak "president" Evo Morales (president huh? did anyone here vote for him?) complain about our harassment of him through the harassment of our vassal states? How dare he!

[Catherina]

97. "Evo Morales has been hijacked by imperialism, is retained in Europe"

"Evo Morales is hijacked by imperialism, is retained in Europe"

2:33 GMT: Evo Morales is in the Vienna airport. "Evo Morales has been hijacked by imperialism, is retained in Europe" the vice president of Bolivia, Alvaro Garcia Linera said in a press conference.

2:15 GMT: The Chamber of Deputies of Bolivia adopted a resolution condemning the incident with the plane of President Morales.

0200 GMT: The Indians of Bolivia are preparing for a mass protest against European governments such as France, Portugal and Italy, and against Washington.

1:45 GMT: "We are facing sabotage by imperialism," said Bolivia's Defense Minister Ruben Saavedra, and explained that there are three countries that hindered the return of Morales: France, Portugal and Spain.

Texto completo en: http://actualidad.rt.com/actualidad/view/99044-aterrizaje-emergencia-avion-evo-morales





Now watch some might-makes-right asshole come along and say "What's Bolivia gonna do about it?"

[Romulus Quirinus]

117. Too slow!

You were beat to the punch.

[backscatter712]

105. Wow! This is a spectacular international clusterfuck!

Forcing an aircraft carrying a head of state into an emergency landing, over a mere rumor his plane's carrying a person a superpower doesn't like?

I don't think I've ever seen a fuckup like this!

[Poll_Blind]

108. Holy shit- is this for real?

PB

[Catherina]

120. Worse than the US news is saying. They won't let his plane leave and want to inspect

See thread #2 "NO You can NOT inspect my aircraft!" Emergency UNASUR meeting. Hague Tribunal? http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023155094

[Cleita]

112. I just went to a Bolivian news site and they say he's leaving Austria

in three or four hours.

http://www.ultimasnoticias.com.ve/noticias/actualidad/mundo/evo-morales-podria-seguir-vuelo-rumbo-a-bolivia-en.aspx

Sorry this is in Spanish. I would translate but mostly it's what is already known. It doesn't say whether Snowden is on the airplane or not.

[Catherina]

119. SEE THREAD #2; "NO You can NOT inspect my aircraft!" Emergency UNASUR meeting. Hague Tribunal?

Pres Morales: "NO You can NOT inspect my aircraft!" Emergency UNASUR meeting. Hague Tribunal? - http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023155094