Story highlights
NEW: Bolivia says its president was denied landing rights due to "lie" about Snowden
Country after country denies NSA leaker's requests or say he must travel to apply
Washington tries to scare "those who would come after me," Snowden statement says
He's been stuck at Moscow's international airport since leaving Hong Kong last month
Edward Snowden’s hopes of finding asylum from U.S. prosecution on espionage charges appeared to dim Tuesday as country after country denied his request or said he would have to find a way to travel to their territory to apply.
While Bolivia and Venezuela seemed supportive, 11 of the 21 countries he’s applied to, including Ecuador and Iceland, have said they can’t consider his request until he shows up at one of their embassies or on their borders. Three – Brazil, India and Poland – have denied the request outright.
And Bolivia said Tuesday the plane carrying its president, Evo Morales, was denied permission to land for refueling in either France or Portugal because of “unfounded” rumors that Snowden was aboard. Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca told Bolivian television that the jet made an emergency landing in the Austrian capital of Vienna and that Bolivia wanted an explanation from Paris and Lisbon.
“We don’t know who has come up with this huge lie,” Choquehuanca said, adding, “We would like to let the international community know that the rights of aerial traffic for Bolivia have been violated.”
