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              Russian Official: Venezuela Best Option for Snowden

   An influential Russian parliament member who often speaks for the
   Kremlin has encouraged former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward
   Snowden to accept Venezuela`s offer of asylum.
   Alexei Pushkov, who heads the international affairs committee in
   Russia`s parliament, has posted several messages on Twitter about the
   case, including one Sunday that says "Venezuela is waiting for an
   answer from Snowden. This, perhaps, is his last chance to receive
   political asylum.``
   Snowden is believed to be in the transit area of Moscow Airport since
   arriving on a flight from Hong Kong two weeks ago, unable to travel
   farther because the United States annulled his passport.
   Meanwhile, Brazil`s foreign minister says his government is worried
   about a newspaper report that the U.S. has collected data on billions
   of telephone and email conversations in his country. He promised an
   effort for international protection of Internet privacy.
   Antonio Patriota said Brazil will demand an explanation from the United
   States. Brazil also plans to propose changes to international
   communications rules.
   On Saturday, Bolivian President Evo Morales offered asylum to Snowden,
   becoming the third leftist Latin American leader to do so, following
   Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Nicaraguan President Daniel
   Ortega.
   It is not clear how the 30-year-old Snowden, who leaked secret details
   of surveillance programs conducted by the clandestine U.S. National
   Security Agency, will get to any of the Latin American nations.
   American authorities want him extradited to the U.S. to stand trial on
   espionage charges, but Russian President Vladimir Putin has refused,
   even as he says he wants Snowden to leave for another country.
   Snowden has sought asylum in more than 20 countries. But most of them
   have either turned him down or said he must be in their countries or
   one of their embassies before they will consider his asylum bid.
   The NSA says the information it has collected helped foil terrorist
   attacks. Snowden has said Americans should know their government has
   them under surveillance.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/russian-official-venezuela-best-optio
   n-for-snowden/1696907.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/russian-official-venezuela-best-option-for-snowden/1696907.html