Snowden remains in Russian terminal and postpones travel to Ecuador

Edward Snowden remains in a Russian terminal

Edward Snowden, former analyst of the National Security Agency of the United States, remains anchored in a terminal of Moscow and postponed his journey to South America to seek asylum in Ecuador, due to tensions with the government of his country and Russia.

After Snowden did not board the plane, on Monday, which would take him from Moscow to La Habana, a stop of Snowden before he reached Ecuador, the whereabouts of the former analyst CIA is a mystery. However, yesterday the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, confirmed that Snowden remains in the airport transit zone of Moscow; Snowden came as traffic passenger and as such he does not need a visa or other documents; subsequently he refused to be extradited to the United States.

Given this scenario, the U.S. government contacted Ecuador, on the current analysis about Snowden’s asylum. “The State Department of the U.S. has sent a message to the Government of Ecuador, the Foreign Ministry in Quito, on the issue,” said Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino yesterday during a press conference in Vietnam.

The Ecuadorian Foreign Minister added “Since is only verbal message, I asked that it be sent written to consider it when we are analysing the asylum request of Mr. Snowden,” he added.

Caitlin Hayden, spokeswoman for the National Security Council of the United States, confirmed to AFP that although there is no agreement it has “a clear legal basis to expel Snowden” in Russia, despite the country refuses to extradite him. Regarding this Putin said the sooner Snowden decides his fate will be “better” and that “our special services never worked with Mr. Snowden and are not working with him now.”