An employee distributes newspapers with a photograph of Edward Snowden in Moscow. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
Edward Snowden, the National Security Agency contractor who leaked the incredible details of the United States’ surveillance programs that have been dominating global news for weeks now, was to take refuge in a friendly country in Northern Europe or Latin America. But having been holed up in the no-man’s-land that is Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow for an absurdly long time, his prospects for finding a new home look grimmer than ever.
The usual suspects in Venezuela and Cuba — whose governments subsist, it seems at times, on American schadenfreude — may yet come to the rescue. But rather than basking in the glow of resentment of U.S. imperialism, Snowden is finding that the logistics of his own safety are a nightmare. Many of the 21 countries where his Wikileaks backers have tried to secure him asylum, such as Ecuador, Iceland, Norway, Germany, and Spain, are vaguely open to the idea — but only if Snowden is physically present at their borders. Others, like Poland, India, and Brazil, have issued flat-out refusals. We take a quick look at the full list and Snowden’s prospects for rescue:
Austria: Nope. Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner says Snowden must apply at the border.
Bolivia: Maybe. “If there were a request, of course we would be willing to debate and consider the idea,” says President Evo Moreales.
Brazil: Hard denial. Brazil will not even respond to the extradition request, says a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry.
China: No official response. To the extent that China does not have a bilateral extradition treaty with the United States, this at least remains an option, albeit not an especially attractive one.
Cuba: No official response. History might suggest this is an attractive (and tropical! Snowden was living in Hawaii) option, but the new government there is less predictable than under Fidel Castro.
Ecuador: Nope. President Rafael Correa says the request must be made on his soil. Despite hosting Wikileaks Founder Julian Assange, what had seemed Snowden’s sure thing is not so sure anymore.
Finland: Denied. Another potentially sympathetic country that, says requests must be made on its soil.
France: No word yet.
Germany: No word yet, though a bad omen has emerged in Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle saying he “could not imagine” approval of the request.
Iceland: No word yet.
India: Nope. A foreign ministry spokesman tweeted that the Asian power sees “no reason” to provide asylum.
Italy: No word yet.
Ireland: Denied. Another “soil” issue, says a Department of Justice spokesman.
The Netherlands: Nope. More soil trouble, says Security and Justice Secretary Fred Teeven.
Nicaragua: No word yet.
Norway: Denied. Soil once again, according to deputy justice secretary Paal Loenseth.
Poland: Nope. A spokesman said there were problems with the details of the request, but that even if there hadn’t been, he is skeptical.
Russia: Though Russia lacks a bilateral extradition treaty with the United States and might theoretically seem like the perfect destination, suffice to say even Vladimir Putin was not in the mood to pick such a massive national security fight with the United States, especially since the two powers are already bickering over Syria. Snowden can always decide to stay in Russia, but not if he wants to remain a transparency activist. And besides, there are plenty of uniquely Russian dangers to worry about, like Putin’s own record of police state excess.
Spain: No. Yet another “soil” requirement — on or “at” the border, or bust.
Switzerland: Nope, though the lack of an extradition treaty makes this an interesting possibility. Once again, however, Snowden must be on Swiss soil, says an embassy spokesman in Moscow.
Venezuela: Maybe. President Nicolas Maduro says Snowden “deserves protection under international and humanitarian law,” and happens to be in Moscow this week, some observers raising the possibility that Snowden might fly out with him. But though Maduro’s image is built to a large extent on the back of anti-American demagoguery, this is no sure thing, albeit perhaps Snowden’s best choice.
Then again, an ongoing toilet paper shortage makes even Venezuela seem, er, less than inviting. If a hero’s welcome is in Edward Snowden’s destiny, it still remains unclear where he will find it.
