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<h1 class="title">Edward Snowden NSA revelations: ‘North American
imperialism’ means Bolivian President Evo Morales could close US
embassy
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<p>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
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class="authorName"><small><small>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</small></small><br>
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<p class="location">Brussels
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<p class="dateline">Friday 05 July 2013
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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.
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<p style="">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”.</p>
<p style="">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.”</p>
<p style="">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.”</p>
<p style="">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.</p>
<p style="">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.</p>
<p style="">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.</p>
<p style="">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.”</p>
<p style="">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.</p>
<p style="">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”.</p>
<p style="">Mr Valls said demands for an explanation were justified
because “such practices, if proven, do not have their place between
allies and partners”.</p>
<p style="">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.</p>
<p style="">French objections over the start of the trade talks were
overruled by the European Commission and Germany.</p>
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