Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has said he had decided to offer asylum to former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden who is believed to be waiting in transit at a Moscow airport.
Snowden, who leaked US intelligence documents revealing a vast phone and internet surveillance programme, has petitioned several countries to avoid capture by Washington.
"As head of state of the Boliviarian republic of Venezuela, I have decided to offer humanitarian asylum to the young Snowden ... to protect this young man from the persecution launched by the most powerful empire in the world," Maduro said on Friday.
Meanwhile, Nicaragua has said it could accept an asylum request from Snowden "if circumstances permit". » | Source: Agencies | Saturday, July 05, 2013
