Ecuador Could Consider Granting Snowden Asylum

Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa pictured during a press conference in Moscow on October 29.

Ecuador's President Rafael Correa says his country could still grant political asylum to the former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden.

"If at any moment Mr. Snowden finds himself on the Ecuadorean territory or enters our diplomatic mission in any country and asks for political asylum, we will accept his application, will review all judicial and legal aspects, and will then make a decision," he said.

Correa was speaking during a visit to Russia on October 29.

Snowden is wanted by Washington for revealing government secrets about U.S. global surveillance programs.

The former intelligence contractor has been granted temporary asylum by Russia.

Snowden had requested asylum in Ecuador after he left Hong Kong where he was hiding after fleeing the United States.

Ecuador has been sheltering WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at its embassy in London since June 2012.


Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP