Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has confirmed that his country received an official request for asylum from NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden on Monday, and called on the U.S. intelligence leaker to decide if he wants to fly to Caracas.

"He will have to decide when he flies, if he finally wants to fly here", said Maduro during a press conference.

On July 5, both Maduro and Nicaraguan president said, in separate speeches from their respective countries, that their governments would be willing to grant Snowden “humanitarian asylum.”

Their offers came one day after South American leaders gathered to denounce the rerouting of Bolivian President Evo Morales' plane flying out of Europe over reports that Snowden was on board.

Snowden has been holed up at Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport since June 23, when he arrived from Hong Kong.