Venezuela offers Snowden asylum

[economics102]

Good news on a Friday, as it should be

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/06/us-usa-security-venezuela-idUSBRE96500420130706?irpc=932

 

[economics102]

Is it possible to fly directly from Russia to Venezuela?

 

[Warlord]

He should go there.

Then I win and collect 2 packs of cigarettes from AF

 

[Kotin]

Is that the best option??

Iceland and Ecuador seem like much better choices politically.. But asylum is asylum I suppose..

 

[Warrior_of_Freedom]

Is that the best option??

Iceland and Ecuador seem like much better choices politically.. But asylum is asylum I suppose..

fuck politics

 

[LibertyEagle]

Didn't Iceland and Ecuador turn him down?

 

[Warlord]

Is that the best option??

Iceland and Ecuador seem like much better choices politically.. But asylum is asylum I suppose..

Iceland is a NATO member and Ecudaor have been leaned on and done some deal to extend their trade rights and turned him down.

Why Venez? Because they have oil and gas and they can't have the screws turned on them by the US or anyone.

Also Maduro should be president for a long time, ...

Definitely his best option. Just how does he get there though?

 

[economics102]

Didn't Iceland and Ecuador turn him down?

Ecuador and Iceland say they won't consider asylum requests until Snowden is on their soil (i.e. they won't issue refugee papers to help him travel there)

Iceland didn't turn him down per se, but an attempt in the Icelandic parliament to grant Snowden citizenship was tabled by the majority parties and the parliament is now in recess until September.

 

[LibertyEagle]

I wish our federal government went on recess for 1/2 the year.

 

[economics102]

Does this mean Venezuela will issue him refugee papers to travel with? And will a plane carrying him face a similar problem as the Bolivian president faced? Is it possible to fly from Russia to Venezuela withouting crossing the airspace of a non-friendly nation?

 

[Generalissimo]

Is it possible to fly directly from Russia to Venezuela?

I don't think Aeroflot flies to Caracas. The closest airport they fly to is Havana.

 

[Generalissimo]

Ecuador and Iceland say they won't consider asylum requests until Snowden is on their soil (i.e. they won't issue refugee papers to help him travel there)

Iceland didn't turn him down per se, but an attempt in the Icelandic parliament to grant Snowden citizenship was tabled by the majority parties and the parliament is now in recess until September.

Ecuador said it will take a couple months to consider his asylum request.

 

[kcchiefs6465]

I don't think Aeroflot flies to Caracas. The closest airport they fly to is Havana.

Crossing over US airspace, probably. You'd need a pilot with balls and assurances that no matter what, they wouldn't shoot down the plane.

 

[TheGrinch]

Why Venez? Because they have oil and gas and they can't have the screws turned on them by the US or anyone.

I thought this one of the top reasons countries end up having the screws turned on them.

Good to hear though.

 

[Generalissimo]

Crossing over US airspace, probably. You'd need a pilot with balls and assurances that no matter what, they wouldn't shoot down the plane.

You wouldn't have to cross US airspace to get from Moscow to Venezuela or Nicaragua (who also just offered him asylum). You'd have to cross over a lot of the EU, though, then over international airspace over the Atlantic.

 

[Generalissimo]

I feel sorry for Snowden, I would hate to live in Venezuela (although the women from there are absolutely gorgeous, iirc Venezuela has more Miss Universes than any other country). Caracas has one of the highest murder rates in the world.

And then Nicaragua...man that place is a shithole.

 

[economics102]

Legally, what can Russia do about it if Snowden simply stays in the Moscow terminal?

Wouldn't that put further pressure on the US? Maybe Russia would finally say to Obama "this is your fault that he's stuck here, reinstate his passport?"

Or maybe it would allow time for Snowden's lawyers to legally challenge the USA's legal authority to revoke his passport?

Or it would bide time until countries like Iceland grant him asylum?

Or it would bide him time until the American people put enough political pressure on the Whitehouse to pardom him?

I'd rather live in an airport terminal in Moscow than live in Venezeula.

Back to my original question: What can Putin do about it if Snowden doesn't leave???

 

[Warlord]

I feel sorry for Snowden, I would hate to live in Venezuela (although the women from there are absolutely gorgeous, iirc Venezuela has more Miss Universes than any other country). Caracas has one of the highest murder rates in the world.

And then Nicaragua...man that place is a shithole.

They will give him government protection.

 

[Warlord]

I thought this one of the top reasons countries end up having the screws turned on them.

Good to hear though.

No, they can sell their products to China, Brazil, wherever. Not only the US. so threats to cut them off are futile,

 

[trey4sports]

yeah the bright spot about venez. is that there is definitely no chance of extradition. Venezuela hates the U.S.