The mystery of how US Whistleblower Edward Snowden managed to get from Hong Kong to Moscow, as well as where his eventual destination might be, got a little murkier.

Ecuador is now denying media reports that it gave a special travel pass to Snowden that allowed him to fly out of Hong Kong without his revoked US Passport. 

“This is not true. There is no passport, no document that was delivered by any Ecuadoran consulate,” senior foreign ministry official Galo Galarza said, “He doesn't have a document supplied by Ecuador like a passport or a refugee card as has been mentioned.”

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has previously said that Ecuador provided such a document.

Ecuador might also have thrown cold water on Snowden’s plans to leave the Moscow airport transit area, saying it could take weeks or months to decide on the asylum request.  Quito also asked Washington for documentation of its side of the case.

But Snowden might be changing his travel itinerary.  Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro said Caracas would also consider any asylum request.  By coincidence, Maduro is expected in Moscow next week for an energy summit.

Snowden obtained information about vast internet eavesdropping by America and its allies through his job with a National Security Agency contractor, fled to Hong Kong, and leaked that information to reporter Glenn Greenwald of The Guardian newspaper.  The US subsequently revoked his passport and charged him with violating espionage laws.