Venezuela's Secret Police Seize Strike Organizer

www.voanews.com VOA News 20 Feb 2003, 17:37 UTC

Venezuela's secret police have seized a business leader who helped organize a lengthy anti-government strike, prompting the opposition to call for renewed protests.

Eight men stormed a restaurant in eastern Caracas Wednesday night and took the head of the Fedecamaras business group, Carlos Fernandez, into custody. The gunmen fired shots into the air to keep protesters back as they took Mr. Fernandez away from a restaurant in the Las Mercedes commercial district.

Mr. Fernandez's wife says her husband is being detained at the secret police headquarters and is meeting with his lawyers.

Judge Maikel Jose Moreno ordered the arrest of Mr. Fernandez and union leader Carlos Ortega on various charges including organizing the strike, treason, and civil rebellion. Officials have not yet taken Mr. Ortega into custody.

The Associated Press reports hundreds of demonstrators have taken to the streets of Caracas and other cities to protest the arrest.

The incident happened one day after government and opposition negotiators signed a deal to end the country's political violence. Opposition groups in all but the country's oil sector ended their two-month long strike on February third.