LA PAZ, Bolivia -- The plane carrying Bolivian President Evo Morales home from Russia was rerouted to Austria on Tuesday after France and Portugal refused to let it cross their airspace because of suspicions that NSA leaker Edward Snowden was on board, the country's foreign minister said.
Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca denied that Snowden was on the plane, which landed in Vienna, and said France and Portugal would have to explain why they canceled authorization for the plane.
"We don't know who invented this lie. We want to denounce to the international community this injustice with the plane of President Evo Morales," Choquehuanca said from La Paz. Morales had earlier met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at a summit of major gas exporters in the Kremlin.
| Maybe Vlad was yanking your chain... |
In an interview with Russia Today television, Morales said that his South American country would be willing to consider granting asylum to Snowden.
| Hence the suspicion about the plane... |
He is believed to be in a Moscow airport transit area, seeking asylum from one of more than a dozen countries.
"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.
| Oh sure, as if Champ could use a European government right now. Maybe he had the NSA contact them. Ha. |
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 plane flew on to Vienna.
| So after refueling the plane that was to go on to Bolivia went .. east? That doesn't make a bit of sense... |
He said the decision by France and Portugal "put at risk the life of the president."
Morales was in the Vienna airport early Wednesday meeting with the plane's crew to reprogram his return to Bolivia, the defense minister Saavedra said.
A diplomat with Bolivia's Embassy in Vienna told The Associated Press that the Bolivian president was in the airport's VIP lounge. She said she did not know whether Snowden was with Morales.
| She didn't want to know, either... |
Snowden has applied for asylum in Venezuela, Bolivia and 18 other countries, according to WikiLeaks, a secret spilling website that has been advising him. Many European countries on the list — including Austria, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Switzerland — said he would have to make his request on their soil.
| Which isn't happening, so it's a polite way to punt... |
One of Snowden's best chances of finding refuge outside the United States may hinge on the president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, who was also in Russia on Tuesday. Maduro told Russian reporters that his country has not received an application for asylum from Snowden and dodged the question of whether he would take him with him when he left.
| So maybe the skinny little creep can stow away in the plane's wheel well... |
In Venezuela, Foreign Minister Elias Jaua condemned the decision by France and Portugal. He said the need to refuel in Spain put the president's life at risk.
"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."
| Because Evo has so much dignity, you see... |
Portuguese officials could not be reached to comment early Wednesday morning because officials did not answer telephones at the Foreign Ministry and National Civil Aviation Authority.
An official with the French Foreign Ministry said he had no information about such a decision to refuse entry to France.
Another possible landing spot for Snowden is Ecuador, where Wikileaks founder and publisher Julian Assange has been seeking asylum.
"We are disposed to analyze Mr. Snowden's request for asylum and this position has not changed," said Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino on Tuesday. "What we have said is that we will be able to analyze the request when Mr. Snowden is in Ecuadorean territory or in an Ecuadorean mission."
Patino said Ecuador was not working to help Snowden reach its territory. |