[News] North American imperialism means Bolivian President Evo Morales could close US embassy

[Anti-Imperialist News]

  Edward Snowden NSA revelations: 'North American imperialism' means
  Bolivian President Evo Morales could close US embassy


      Anger as four European countries allegedly refuse permission for
      his jet to enter their airspace because of suspicions it was
      harbouring the fugitive spy Edward Snowden
      <http://www.independent.co.uk/search/simple.do?destinationSectionUniqueName=search&publicationName=ind&pageLength=5&startDay=1&startMonth=1&startYear=2010&useSectionFilter=true&useHideArticle=true&searchString=byline_text:%28%22Charlotte%20McDonald-Gibson%22%29&displaySearchString=Charlotte%20McDonald-Gibson>

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/edward-snowden-nsa-revelations-north-american-imperialism-means-bolivian-president-evo-morales-could-close-us-embassy-8688875.html
<http://www.independent.co.uk/search/simple.do?destinationSectionUniqueName=search&publicationName=ind&pageLength=5&startDay=1&startMonth=1&startYear=2010&useSectionFilter=true&useHideArticle=true&searchString=byline_text:%28%22%20Adam%20Withnall%22%29&displaySearchString=%20Adam%20Withnall>

Brussels

Friday 05 July 2013

Bolivian President Evo Morales has warned he could shut down the US 
embassy in the capital La Paz in order "to defeat North American 
imperialism", after his plane from Moscow was forced to land in Vienna 
because of  suspicions it was harbouring the American fugitive Edward 
Snowden.

Mr Morales slammed Europe as an "agent" of the United States after four 
countries allegedly refused permission for his jet to enter their 
airspace, and five other South American leaders joined forces to 
denounce his "virtual kidnapping".

At a summit in Cochabamba, Bolivia, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro 
said: "Europe broke all the rules of the game. We're here to tell 
President Evo Morales that he can count on us. Whoever picks a fight 
with Bolivia, picks a fight with Venezuela."

As a statement was released demanding answers from France, Portugal, 
Italy and Spain, a furious Mr Morales said: "My hand would not shake if 
it came to closing the embassy. Without the United States we are better 
off politically and democratically."

The rerouting of Mr Morales's plane to Austria on Tuesday came just days 
after fresh allegations emerged that the US National Security Agency 
(NSA) had bugged European Union offices, threatening to overshadow the 
start of trade talks between the two economic powers. President Barack 
Obama agreed in a telephone conversation with the German Chancellor, 
Angela Merkel, to high-level talks to try to allay concerns over the 
claims, but indignation remains high.

The European Parliament passed a motion recommending the EU scrap two 
transatlantic information-sharing agreements unless Washington comes 
clean on its alleged spying operations. And a French minister publicly 
berated the US at an embassy garden party in Paris.

While the US is fending off questions about its conduct after the leaks 
by Mr Snowden, a former NSA contractor, Europe faced a backlash over Mr 
Morales's unscheduled night in Vienna. He had been in Moscow, where Mr 
Snowden is believed to be holed up at the main airport, which prompted 
rumours that Bolivia may be considering spiriting the fugitive to South 
America.

After a search of his jet proved those rumours to be unfounded, Mr 
Morales was allowed to leave on Wednesday. Arriving back home to La Paz 
early this morning, the leftist President accused the US of using "the 
agent of North American imperialism to scare us and intimidate us". He 
said: "I regret this, but I want to say that some European countries 
should free themselves from North American imperialism."

The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that the alleged 
closure of French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese airspace "could 
hardly be considered friendly" towards Bolivia and other Latin American 
leaders have also issued strong statements condemning the incident.

While Spain and Portugal have denied the Bolivian claims that they 
closed their airspace, the French government apologised to Mr Morales 
and blamed "late confirmation of permission" for the plane to cross 
French skies. France has so far been the most outspoken in its criticism 
of the US and had advocated delaying the start to trade negotiations on 
Monday. At a garden party hosted by the US ambassador to France to mark 
4 July, the French Interior Minister, Manuel Valls, told hundreds of 
guests that "we must say things clearly, directly, frankly".

Mr Valls said demands for an explanation were justified because "such 
practices, if proven, do not have their place between allies and partners".

France, however, is facing its own questions after claims were published 
in Le Monde newspaper that it also had a covert spying operation, with 
the external intelligence agency allegedly monitoring emails, social 
media and phone calls. Le Monde, citing unnamed intelligence sources, 
reported that "emails, text messages, telephone records, access to 
Facebook and Twitter are then stored for years". The French spy agency, 
DGSE, did not comment on the report.

French objections over the start of the trade talks were overruled by 
the European Commission and Germany.

-- 
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