PDVSA rebel Paredes tells TSJ that he and his family have been threatened

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela Electronic News Posted: Tuesday, March 25, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Former Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) subsidiary, Pequiven president, Edgar Paredes has lodged a formal complaint at the Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) accusing Chavez Frias government supporters and agents of initiating a campaign of attrition against him for his part in the oil stoppage. 

"My wife and I were intercepted by a white taxi carrying four heavily armed men, who attempted to block our passage by car ... fortunately, we were able to evade them but I'd hate to think what could have happened." 

The National Guard (GN) , Paredes alleges, has sent soldiers to his farm without an arrest warrant and he has been receiving anonymous and threatening phone calls.  "It is political persecution and nothing else." 

Paredes and six other PDVSA rebels are currently in the middle of a legal battle after a judge revoked an arrest warrant against them on the grounds that the Attorney General's Office had not laid charges to merit the issuing of an arrest warrant.

Paredes appeared daily on TV during the lead up to and during the events of April 11, boasting about revoking the oil supply agreement with Cuba and leading Venezuela out of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).