Bolivian President Evo Morales says he would grant asylum to former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden if he requests it.
Morales on Saturday became the third leftist Latin American leader to offer asylum to Snowden, following Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega a day earlier.
In a statement, Morales said Bolivia has "no fear" of the United States and its European allies, and that he would "give asylum to the American, if he asks."
The 30-year-old Snowden, who leaked secret details of surveillance programs conducted by the clandestine U.S. National Security Agency, is believed to have been encamped in the transit zone of a Moscow airport for the last two weeks after flying there from Hong Kong. It is not clear how he would get to any of the Latin American nations.
Snowden is currently unable to leave Russia because he has no travel documents after the U.S. revoked his passport. American authorities want him extradited to the U.S. to stand trial on espionage charges, but Russian President Vladimir Putin has refused, even as he says he wants Snowden to leave for another country.
Snowden has sought asylum in more than 20 countries; most have either turned him down or said he must be in their countries or one of their embassies before they would consider his asylum bid.
The NSA says the information it has collected helped foil terrorist attacks. Snowden has said Americans should know their government has them under surveillance.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
Morales on Saturday became the third leftist Latin American leader to offer asylum to Snowden, following Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega a day earlier.
In a statement, Morales said Bolivia has "no fear" of the United States and its European allies, and that he would "give asylum to the American, if he asks."
The 30-year-old Snowden, who leaked secret details of surveillance programs conducted by the clandestine U.S. National Security Agency, is believed to have been encamped in the transit zone of a Moscow airport for the last two weeks after flying there from Hong Kong. It is not clear how he would get to any of the Latin American nations.
Snowden is currently unable to leave Russia because he has no travel documents after the U.S. revoked his passport. American authorities want him extradited to the U.S. to stand trial on espionage charges, but Russian President Vladimir Putin has refused, even as he says he wants Snowden to leave for another country.
Snowden has sought asylum in more than 20 countries; most have either turned him down or said he must be in their countries or one of their embassies before they would consider his asylum bid.
The NSA says the information it has collected helped foil terrorist attacks. Snowden has said Americans should know their government has them under surveillance.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
