Edward Snowden has officially accepted all offers of asylum he has received from all countries and will accept any that may be given to him in the future.
In a statement published earlier today with the help of WikiLeaks, Snowden claims that we can officially consider that he has accepted the asylum granted to him by Venezuela.
“The asylum I have from Venezuelan President Maduro is now official, and no state has any basis to restrict or hinder my right to enjoy asylum,” Snowden.
Of course, Snowden's official acceptance of asylum does not mean anything, since it could very well be a disinformation game about his safety.
Snowden also claims that he is simply trying to right an injustice happening in his homeland. He claims that it is obvious that he wanted to harm the United States and that he is not doing it to make money.
“I do not seek to sell US secrets. I do not cooperate with any foreign government that guarantees my safety. Instead, I am giving what I know to the public, so that it can be discussed by all of us and in the light of day,” the statement reads.
He believes that his decision was based on ethical reasons.
- I will respect all the conditions that Russia will set if it grants me asylum again.
- The Governments of Western Europe and North America acted illegally to prevent me from traveling.
- He said he has accepted offers of asylum from Venezuela, Russia, Bolivia, Nicaragua and Ecuador.
Continuing, he also mentions the fact that the United States demanded that Hong Kong return him to his country, outside the framework of its laws and in violation of the law of Nations.
“They have threatened with sanctions countries that stand by my human rights and the UN asylum system. They have even taken the unprecedented step of ordering their military allies to stop the plane of the president of Latin America, searching for a political refugee. These dangerous escalations represent a threat not only to the dignity of Latin America, but also to the basic rights that are essential for every person and every nation. Everyone should be able to live freely, to be able to seek and enjoy asylum.”
However, he thanks the nations of the world that have offered support and asylum to date, such as Russia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua and Ecuador.
