MVR to explain recent actions to foreign governments

www.vheadline.com Posted: Tuesday, February 25, 2003 By: Robert Rudnicki

President Hugo Chavez Frias' Movimiento Quinta Republica (MVR) party is to send statements to the governments of Colombia, the United States and Spain to explain in a detailed fashion the fundamental legal principles of the Venezuelan judiciary's autonomous action with respect to the detention of Venezuelan Federation of Chambers of Commerce & Industry (Fedecamaras) president Carlos Fernandez and the order to arrest Confederation of Trade Unions (CTV) chief Carlos Ortega. 

"We think there is a certain degree of confusion with regard to the statements that were published by government spokesmen in relation to this matter and as a consequence we think it is our duty to inform" all relevant parties of the basis of these measures, according to MVR spokesman and former National Assembly president Willian Lara.

Lara denied that there had been any government involvement in the decisions and that they were taken independently by the Venezuelan judiciary.