In the Name of American Honor Offered Asylum to Snowden

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro offered asylum on Friday to former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, who is sought by Washington for leaking information about American spying programs.

-“In the name of American honor … I have decided to offer humanitarian asylum to Edward Snowden,” Maduro said during a military parade marking Venezuela’s Independence Day.

-“He is a young man who told the truth, in a rebellious spirit, about American spying on the whole world,” Maduro added.

It is believed that American whistleblower Snowden (30) is in the transit zone of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport. Russian officials have confirmed that he has been there since June 23 when he arrived on a flight from Hong Kong, but they have distanced themselves from the case, claiming that Snowden will only be on Russian soil if he passes through passport control.

It is still unclear how Snowden will respond to Maduro’s offer, or how he would reach Venezuela if he accepts asylum in that country. On Friday, Nicaragua also confirmed that it had received Snowden’s asylum request and that it would approve it ‘if circumstances allow’.

Snowden has sought asylum in more than 20 countries, mostly European and South American, and told the Guardian that he would like asylum in a country that respects the same values as he does, and ‘Iceland is the closest to that’. However, to seek asylum in Iceland, Snowden would have to step onto Icelandic soil.

The data released by the former American intelligence analyst revealed to the world the extent of American data collection on phone and internet traffic, although American intelligence officials claim that these programs are aimed at foreigners and individuals suspected of being terrorists, mostly abroad.

Many European countries, such as Austria, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, and Spain, just like Iceland, require that the asylum request be submitted from within the country. The Italian Foreign Minister also stated on Thursday that they would not grant asylum to Snowden if he is not in the country, and French Interior Minister Manuel Valls said that his country would not process Snowden’s request.

Russia is also reportedly losing patience with Snowden. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Reuters that Snowden should find another place to go.

-“He must decide where to go,” Ryabkov told Reuters.

-“At this moment, we do not have an official request from Snowden seeking asylum in Russia.”