¿Snowden in the Americas?

US: Where is Snowden?!
Russia: He is not here!

As Robert Burns famously said, it is a great gift to see ourselves as others see us. At least for some folks elsewhere in the world, the U.S. fixation on Edward Snowden is somewhat comical. While Snowden sits in a lounge at the Moscow airport, several countries in Latin America are considering an offer of asylum.

Many European countries have considered providing refuge for the former intelligence contractor, but their relationships with the United States are complex, and none is willing to jeapordize positive aspects of those relationships over this issue.

Because this is not the case for some left-leaning governments of Latin America, many are specultating that  Snowden could show up soon in Venezuela, Bolivia, or Nicaragua. The PRI program Market Place recently discussed these prospects in economic terms. Although the interview provides some information about these countries, it more fully exposes the limitations of a narrowly economic perspective.