LA PAZ: Bolivian President Evo Morales yesterday forgave France, Spain, Italy and Portugal for denying their air space to his presidential jet early this month, closing an incident that had riled leftist governments around Latin America.
Suspecting that Morales’ official plane was also carrying Edward Snowden, the European countries denied fly-over permission to Morales as he was heading back to Bolivia from Russia.
Morales and other South American leftist leaders Rafael Correa of Ecuador, Cristina Fernandez of Argentina and Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela said pressure from Washington was behind the air space denial. They said the incident had put Morales’ life at risk and showed a neo-colonialist attitude on the part of the European countries involved.
The European countries later apologised to Bolivia. Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina and Uruguay, which make up the Mercosur trade bloc, joined Bolivia in recalling their ambassadors from the four countries for consultations over the incident.
Reuters
