"An asylum request letter arrived" from Snowden, Maduro told reporters after meeting with Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli. Snowden, he said, "will have to decide when he will fly here".

Last Friday, Maduro publicly announced his offer of "humanitarian asylum" for Snowden, accusing the US of "unleashing madness" and "persecution" after the jet carrying Bolivian President Morales was denied over flight and landing rights by several European countries who feared that Snowden might be on board the plane.