Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno on Monday said he considers WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to be a “hacker,” but would still grant him asylum to stay in the South American country’s London embassy.
“Mr. Assange is a hacker. That’s something we reject, and I personally reject,” Moreno told reporters. “But I respect the situation he is in, which calls for respect of his human rights, but we also ask that he respects the situation he is in.”
The newly sworn in socialist leader’s tone toward Assange is slightly harsher than the previous president’s.
Moreno’s predecessor Rafael Correa had called Assange a “journalist” and originally granted him asylum status in 2012.
Sweden had asked for Assange to be handed over in its investigation of rape allegations against the international figure.
In turn, Assange worried Sweden would give him to the U.S., where he could face charges for his website’s publication of thousands of classified government documents.
Sweden dropped its charges against Assange earlier this month.
