Cuba Backs Asylum Offers to Snowden
HAVANA TIMES — Cuban President Raul Castro expressed his support for Venezuela and other Latin American countries in their “sovereign right” to offer asylum to Edward Snowden, revealer of a massive US National Security Agency spying program, reported DPA news.
However, in addressing the Cuban parliament on Sunday, Castro did not state whether Cuba had also accepted Snowden’s asylum request, directed to Havana last week according to a report released by the website Wikileaks.
“We support the sovereign right of Venezuela and all countries of the region to grant asylum to those persecuted for their ideals or struggles for democratic rights, according to our tradition,” said Castro, 82, in his closing speech of the two-day parliament session.
This was the first time that Castro himself had referred to the situation facing Snowden, wanted by Washington after revealing secrets of massive espionage programs in the USA and other countries.
While not confirming or denying Snowden’s asylum request to Cuba, Castro said: “We do not accept double standards, interference or pressure of any kind,” in his speech broadcast on state television.
The governments of Venezuela, Nicaragua and Bolivia in recent days offered asylum to Snowden, who is supposedly stranded since two weeks ago in the transit area of a Moscow airport.
Bolivian President Evo Morales, said his country’s offer came as a reaction to the incident he suffered earlier this week in Europe, where several countries closed their airspace to his plane returning home from a summit in Moscow, under the pretext that Snowden was possibly on board.
The incident caused outrage in Latin America. Several countries of the continent harshly criticized Spain, in addition to France, Portugal and Italy.
Posada = corporate sponsored CIA paid operative not above killing and maiming [SOA death squads] to achieve the mercantile class objectives.
Snowden = conscience driven idealist supported by the likes of Ellsberg, Wiebe,Drake and Bidden, all of which are beyond reproach unless you’re a defender of imperial and hegemonic strategies.
Snowden is in need of travel documents acceptable to Russia, Venezuela, and Cuba (if Snowden transits Cuba en route to Venezuela). Vladimir Putin has indicated Russia will NOT issue such documents. Putin offered Snowden asylum and Snowden turned-down the offer. So Putin probably feels “you’re on your own kid.” Hopefully, Cuba or Venezuela will provide such documents. US authorities have revoked Snowden’s US passport. So Snowden needs a Cuban or Venezuelan passport, or, a document that would be accepted, by Russian authorities, as a substitute for a passport. Finally, Snowden should be encouraged to travel to Venezuela on Cubana Airlines. Aeroflot flights to Havana travel over US territory.
So does Cuba’s support of asylum for Snowden negate the moral high ground they have staked out in their demand for the extradition of Posada Carriles? Clearly, the ex-CIA operative Carriles was acting in pursuit of his political ideals as well.
“We support the sovereign right of Venezuela and all countries of the region to grant asylum to those persecuted for their ideals or struggles for democratic rights, according to our tradition,” said Castro
That is a piece of staggering hypocrisy. For 54 years, the Castros have persecuted Cubans struggling for democratic rights. He hails Snowden today, but how would he treat an employee of Cuba’s intelligence agency who dares to leak classified documents to the international media?
Gracias Senor Presidente Raul Castro!!!
Snowden, say yes to Venezuela. If Snowden is not responding, then something bad has happened or he is in a location where he didnt get the message.
Thank-you.