Venezuela Snowden offer ‘best solution’

Russian parliament members have welcome Venezuela’s offer of asylum for American whistleblower Edward Snowden as Bolivia is also offering asylum to the leaker of top U.S. surveillance programs.

“Sanctuary for Snowden in Venezuela would be the best decision,” Alexei Pushkov, head of the foreign affairs committee of Russia’s lower house of parliament, wrote in a tweet Saturday.

Snowden has been stranded for two weeks in a transit area at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport.

Pushkov wrote of Snowden, “He can’t live at Sheremetyevo,” according to The Washington Post.

Another parliamentary deputy and member of Pushkov’s committee, Alexander Babakov, also backed the Venezuelan offer.

“Given that Snowden’s U.S. passport was revoked and that he has no particular alternative, the proposal, especially coming from the mouth of the head of state, is sure to be accepted,” he said, as reported by the Post.

Snowden, who revealed top secret National Security Agency surveillance programs last month, has already applied for asylum in 27 countries including China, India, Cuba, Brazil, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Ecuador, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Finland, France, Germany and Iceland.

On Saturday, Bolivia joined Venezuela to offer asylum to the man who is praised as “hero” by many in the U.S. and in many other nations, where the U.S., according to the leaked documents, have been spying on.

Bolivian President Evo Morales said Snowden would be welcome in his country, according to USA Today.

Last week, a plane carrying Morales was rerouted to Vienna after it was not given permission to land in France. The plane was reportedly denied clearance to land because Snowden was thought to be on board. However, it was proved later that the former U.S. government contractor was not on board.

Nicaragua has also offered asylum to Snowden.

The American whistleblower escaped to Hong Kong before he started leaking about the U.S. spying programs. Two weeks ago he left Hong Kong for Russia in an attempt to reach a third country where he hoped to be granted asylum. Since then however, he has been stranded in Moscow.