Bolivian president stops over in Canary Islands today - without Edward Snowden aboard his plane

After having been unable to leave Vienna for more than 13 hours after a forced landing there due to the closing of European airspace for suspicion of having Edward Snowden (the US whistleblower) aboard, the Bolivian President Evo Morales is now on his way to the Canaries for a technical/refuelling stop. His government jet is expected to land on Gran Canaria later this afternoon (between 4pm and 5pm) before continuing on its way to Bolivia . The Spanish authorities have declared their airspace open after tense diplomatic activity.
Morales who had left Moscow on his presidential plane earlier yesterday, today called the incident ''an agression against Latin America'' and his stay in Austria ''a hijacking''. Many people in the Canaries have strong ties with Latin America and are equally outraged.
The large Las Palmas de Gran Canaria airport also has a military section east of the runways where fighter jets of the Spanish air force are stationed. Some minor disruption at and around the airport can be expected today as security forces and press have already begun to take up position in large numbers.

UPDATE:
The Bolivian president's plane has left Gran Canaria for La Paz, the capital of Bolivia, at 4.45pm after having been on the ground for little more than an hour for refuelling.

Morales' plane on the runway on Gran Canaria (Photo: Arcadio Suárez)