What will Carlos Ortega be capable of doing in Costa Rica?

www.vheadline.com Posted: Sunday, March 16, 2003 By: Oscar Heck

VHeadline.com commentarist Oscar Heck writes: According to VHeadline (March 15, 2003), “Costa Rican Foreign Ministry concedes diplomatic asylum to rebel CTV leader Carlos Ortega” … CTV president Carlos Ortega has been afforded "diplomatic asylum" in the tiny central American state of Costa Rica.

In another article (March 16, 2003), “CTV’s Cova advised not to push Ortega’s case too far in Geneva”, CTV’s secretary general Manuel Cova is quoted as stating “Ortega’s decision is completely justified because of threats against his life from some sectors of the government and the closing dragnet of security forces … legal insecurity and the total bias of the public powers, combined with the action of paramilitary groups are sufficient reasons to prevent a crime being committed against our leader.”

• I also read the news about Ortega being granted “political” asylum by Costa Rica, here in Canada where I find myself at the moment.

Supposing that someone (a leader) from a well-known Mafia organization in Canada, goes on television to incite people to block streets, sabotage the oil industry and break the law and … publicly calls for the “death” of the Prime Minister of Canada.

Now, suppose that Canada’s police forces have warrants for his/her arrest … for obviously breaking the laws of the country … and this leader of the Mafia goes into hiding (at a foreign embassy within Canada) and asks for “political” asylum from that country. Would he/she be granted “political” asylum?

Probably not ... why would any country provide “political” asylum to a known criminal?

If Costa Rica offers Carlos Ortega asylum,  it should be called “criminal” asylum and not “political” asylum...

How will this reflect on Costa Rica?

Would the average Costa Rican approve of having a criminal such as Carlos Ortega in their own country?

What will Carlos Ortega be capable of doing in Costa Rica?

Now ... for those union leaders and activists out there ... I am in great agreement with union movements. However, in this case, Carlos Ortega and the CTV in Venezuela ... as far as I have been able to discover ... are not a true union. They are a corrupt Mafia! I have asked laborers in Venezuela “when is the last time that you voted?”  Only one person remembered ... and that was a vote about 15 years ago ... regarding a small issue that he does not even remember.

What kind of union leader would tell its membership to “not go to work until the President of the country resigns” when the minimum wage is about US$120 and the cost of living is (in my estimate) about 70% of what it is in the province of Quebec (Canada)?

Can you afford to “not go to work” for 2 months when your rent is US$80 monthly and you food bill is about US$120 monthly?

… but you only make US$120 monthly?

… meaning that you have to live several people per home

… and you will tell the others living with you, ”sorry, I'm not going to work until Chavez resigns” because the “union boss” says so?

Not only that!  The “Union Leadership” did absolutely nothing to make sure that you got paid while you were on the supposed “strike” that was called by the “union leadership” with no vote from the workers!

In addition, what has the CTV really done for the average working Venezuelan over the years?

In 3 months of recent travel throughout approximately half of Venezuela's territory, I have asked many Venezuelans “What have the unions done for you?”

Their answers were simple. Nothing!

(I do suspect that some labor unions are attempting to better the conditions for laborers in Venezuela and abroad, but I am convinced that a person such as Carlos Ortega does not care one little bit for the “laborer”)

Another example: Juan Fernandez, one of the PDVSA “union leaders” ... apparently makes the equivalent to about CAN$800,000 a year in salary.

Does anybody out there find that this “salary” is justified?

Especially for someone that has incited people to break the law?

Someone who is ... as Ortega ... in hiding from the Venezuelan law?

I hope that the Costa Rican people will consider what I am writing.

Does Costa Rica want to be known for harboring criminals such as Carlos Ortega?

Do the Costa Rican people really know who Carlos Ortega is ... how Carlos Ortega has damaged Venezuela … and this, intentionally?

Will they be willing to accept that the Costa Rican government accepts a true-to-life criminal to enter their territory?

Will they have a say in the decision?

I do not know anything about Costa Rica.

I knew nothing about another country that is “friends” with the “War effort against Iraq” ... in that country, in the early 90s, I personally met someone who has been considered either a ”terrorist” or “evil” or a “human rights criminal” ...“the cannibal.”

His name was Idi Amin.  I spoke with him ... a very tall (and big) man, and surprisingly young.  And this is a true story.

But who is Costa Rica “friends” with? I do not know.

Does that mean that, if I commit crimes in Canada, I can also apply for "political" asylum in Costa Rica and be accepted?

Oscar Heck oscarheck111@hotmail.com