Jun 24, 2013
The South American country of Ecuador, where NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden has reportedly made request for political asylum, says it considers the matter as one of "freedom of expression" and will consider the application on strict merits.
"We are analyzing [the request] with a lot of responsibility," Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino told reporters through a translator at a hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam on Monday.
The request, he continued, "has to do with freedom of expression and the security of citizens around the world."
Asked if he was concerned about what offering Snowden asylum might do to his country's relationship with the United States, Patino said, "There are some governments that act more upon their own interests, but not us. We act upon our principles."
"We take care of human rights of the people," he added.
Ecuador and its president Rafael Correa have generated a reputation for protecting embattled journalists and whistleblowers since it granted Wikileaks founder Julian Assange asylum and has allowed him to remain under its protection for over a year inside its London embassy.
______________________________________
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Join with us today! |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
The South American country of Ecuador, where NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden has reportedly made request for political asylum, says it considers the matter as one of "freedom of expression" and will consider the application on strict merits.
"We are analyzing [the request] with a lot of responsibility," Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino told reporters through a translator at a hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam on Monday.
The request, he continued, "has to do with freedom of expression and the security of citizens around the world."
Asked if he was concerned about what offering Snowden asylum might do to his country's relationship with the United States, Patino said, "There are some governments that act more upon their own interests, but not us. We act upon our principles."
"We take care of human rights of the people," he added.
Ecuador and its president Rafael Correa have generated a reputation for protecting embattled journalists and whistleblowers since it granted Wikileaks founder Julian Assange asylum and has allowed him to remain under its protection for over a year inside its London embassy.
______________________________________
The South American country of Ecuador, where NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden has reportedly made request for political asylum, says it considers the matter as one of "freedom of expression" and will consider the application on strict merits.
"We are analyzing [the request] with a lot of responsibility," Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino told reporters through a translator at a hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam on Monday.
The request, he continued, "has to do with freedom of expression and the security of citizens around the world."
Asked if he was concerned about what offering Snowden asylum might do to his country's relationship with the United States, Patino said, "There are some governments that act more upon their own interests, but not us. We act upon our principles."
"We take care of human rights of the people," he added.
Ecuador and its president Rafael Correa have generated a reputation for protecting embattled journalists and whistleblowers since it granted Wikileaks founder Julian Assange asylum and has allowed him to remain under its protection for over a year inside its London embassy.
______________________________________
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.