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Bolivian President Furious Over Snowden Accusations

by Julia Black

Will the Edward Snowden saga never end? In the latest installment of the best/most dragged out action thriller yet to be made, a plane carrying Bolivian President Evo Morales was grounded in Austria Wednesday and searched on suspicion that the fugitive NSA leaker might be onboard.

Morales was returning home from a summit of major gas exporters in Moscow, where Snowden is currently camped out in the international transit zone of the Sheremetyevo International airport. Morales' plane was originally denied airspace in both France and Portugal and then rerouted to Austria for the search.

The Morales administration is reportedly furious, calling the incident "a kidnapping of 13 hours" and accusing the "imperial" United States of manipulating European countries to carry out this "act of aggression" on their behalf. Still, the search team's suspicion wasn't entirely groundless. The flight took place just hours after Morales had officially confirmed that his government would consider Snowden's request for asylum.

Bolivia is just one of 21 countries where Snowden is seeking political refuge. While his chances may have just gotten a lot better in Bolivia, at this point, Snowden's best bet is still Ecuador, where his persistent ally Julian Assange resides. Ecuador's Foreign Minister has stated that he "is willing to analyze will consider Snowden's request for asylum," but only if the former NSA contractor makes it onto Ecuadorian territory. Now if only Snowden could find someone to smuggle him there in stowage...