The plane carrying Bolivian President Evo Morales home from Russia was rerouted to Austria yesterday after France and Portugal refused to let it cross their airspace because of suspicions that National Security Administration leaker Edward Snowden was on board, officials said.

Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca denied that Snowden was on the plane.

Morales had earlier met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at a summit of major gas exporters.

Meanwhile, Venezuela’s president, Nicolas Maduro, who was also in Russia, hailed Snowden as “brave.’’

Maduro is set to return to Venezuela today.