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67. Here's the simplest explanation, requiring no paranoid hallucinations:

The Bolivians have a flight plan with refueling in Lisbon

A day or so before the flight, the Portuguese say, There's a problem, so you can't refuel at Lisbon

So the Bolivians file a new flight plan with refueling at Las Palmas in the Canary Islands

But they figure, What the fug! We're the President of Bolivia! They'll have to let us refuel in Lisbon!

They set off for Lisbon anyway, ignoring the filed flight plan

As they head off over the Alps, they radio Lisbon asking for permission to refuel there, but Lisbon says, We already told you that isn't possible

So they contact Spain, asking for permission to land to refuel

Spanish air traffic control looks at the flight plan and sees it's for refueling at Las Palmas, which is Spanish territory, shrugs and says, No problem! We've cleared you through to Las Palmas

So they contact France, asking for permission to enter French airspace

But France is expecting the President's plane on a different route and they have some trouble understanding exactly what this unexpected plane is and who's on it

So France is a bit slow granting permission, because they're trying to figure out which end is up

They try the same ploy with the Italians

Then the Bolivians finally decide to ask for an emergency landing, claiming they think their fuel gauge is faulty

No air traffic controller wants a plane with faulty equipment flying over the Alps, so the Bolivians are instructed to head for the nearest airport, which is Vienna -- behind them

They turn back and get emergency permission to land at Vienna, where the equipment is inspected

At about the time the plane lands, the request to enter Italian airspace is granted

The Austrians do a passport check

But Morales is royally pissed

He accuses the Austrians of kidnapping his plane; he accuses the French, Italians, Portuguese, and Spanish of being involved in a conspiracy against him

Somebody calls the Spanish ambassador, to notify him that the President of Bolivia is on TV, fuming about Spain

The Spanish ambassador hightails it to the airport, where he tells Morales, Look, it's late at night, and I've had a long day, but maybe you could invite me onto the plane for a cup of coffee and we could talk over whatever the issue is

Morales shouts at him

The Spanish ambassador backs off and tries to figure out what's going on

Meanwhile, no faulty equipment is found by inspection, and they presumably take on enough fuel to reach Las Palmas