New reports claim that Cuba blocked Edward Snowden's entry into the country, leaving him stuck in a Moscow airport.
Snowden is wanted in the United States for leaking details of the government's surveillance programs. The U.S. wants to try Snowden on espionage charges. He fled the country and headed to Hong Kong before flying to Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport on June 23. He was was planning to fly to Havana from Russia but thins didn't go as planned. He eventually accepted a year's asylum in Russia after spending six weeks at the airport and never showed up for his flight to Cuba even though he already had a seat, Reuters cited.
Kommersant newspaper reports that Snowden never boarded the flight because Cuban officials told the airport to prevent Snowden from boarding the Aeroflot flight. The newspaper claims Cuba changed its mind after feeling pressure from the United States.
The paper also says Snowden even spent a few days at the Russian consulate in Hong Kong to let officials know of his plan to continue on to Latin America from Moscow.
"His choice of route and his plea to help were a complete surprise to us. We did not invite him," Kommersant quoted a Russian state source as saying.
The reports cannot be verified but it may make sense as Cuba's relations with the US may have been put at risk if they allowed Snowden to enter the country.
Relations between Russia and the United States are already strained after Russia granted Snowden asylum. President Barack Obama even postponed a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin after the move.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
