BREAKING: Ecuador minister says statement on Snowden imminent [View all]

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Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said on Thursday an announcement would be made within half an hour in Ecuador about former CIA contractor Edward Snowden.

He was speaking to reporters in Singapore.

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http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/27/us-usa-security-singapore-idUSBRE95Q0JY20130627


Is this a hint as to what might be said?

Ecuador nixes U.S. trade pact, 'blackmail' over Snowden
Doug Stanglin, USA TODAY 12:44 p.m. EDT June 27, 2013

Ecuador said Thursday it is renouncing a trade pact up for renewal by the U.S. Congress because it had become a "new instrument of blackmail" involving the fate of an NSA leaker who has asked for political asylum from the South American country.

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Although Ecuadoran officials have said Snowden's asylum request could take weeks to process, WikiLeaks spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson said on Monday that Snowden was "fairly optimistic'' that Ecuador would grant the request.

In a pointed jab at Washington over Snowden's revelations on data-gathering by NSA, Alavarez said Ecuador offered $23 million per year to the United States to finance human rights training.

He said the money would be aimed at helping "avoid violations of privacy, torture and other actions that are denigrating to humanity."

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http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/06/27/ecuador-nsa-edward-snowden-asylum-andean-trade-pact-tariff-renounces/2463465/