Europe and Latin America stressed by Bolivia scandal

Evo Morales denounces being stuck in Austria

After the controversial and oversized scandal of the flight of the Bolivian President Evo Morales, the presidents of Ecuador, Argentina, Venezuela, Uruguay and Suriname made clear their willingness to attend today to Cochabamba, Bolivia to give their support to the leader Evo Morales.

Morales arrived yesterday at 23h30 local time (22h30 in Ecuador) to the airport El Alto, near La Paz, where his entire cabinet was led by Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera. The President came to his country after spending 14 hours stuck in Vienna, Austria, since Portugal, France and Italy closed their airspace, by choice, to the flight came from Moscow, on suspicion that Edward Snowden was at board.

However, only after the aircraft was searched the countries allowed the use of its airspace.

François Hollande, the French president, apologized for the no-fly decree in their country. Portugal itself clarified that authorized the use of the airspace, but not landing citing “technical problems” that did not specify. Italy has not spoked about the fact.

Bolivia reported to the United Nations and its High Commissioner for Human Rights, to countries that prevented his plane overflight. Bolivia said that it was all “a plan orchestrated by the United States.” Given these allegations the State Department spokesman, Jen Psaki, said those “decisions were made by individual countries, and should ask them” why they did it. Finally Ali Rodriguez, Secretary General of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) confirmed that a special meeting was convened to be carried out today in Bolivia to handle the “offense” against President Morales.