South Americans affirm asylum right in US leak case: Maduro

South American leaders agreed to a statement here today reaffirming the fundamental right of asylum in connection with alleged US electronic espionage in the region, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said.
"A doctrinal statement has been ratified to guarantee the right of asylum as a fundamental right," he said at a summit of the South American bloc Mercosur.
Maduro also called for measures to boost regional cyber-security following reports that Washington has been engaging in massive electronic spying in several Latin American countries, based on documents leaked by former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden.