Venezuelan union boss granted asylum arrives in Costa Rica

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Tuesday, April 01, 2003 By: Garett Sloane

Garett Sloane of A.M. Costa Rica reports: A political asylum seeker from Venezuela was welcomed into Costa Rica Thursday where the government is protecting him for humanitarian reasons.

Carlos Ortega, president of the Confederación de Trabajadores de Venezuela, left the Costa Rican Embassy in Venezuela under heavy police protection en route to the airport, according to reports. He had been in the embassy since March 13 seeking asylum to leave Venezuela where he said he was not safe from political persecution.

Ortega was one of the leaders responsible for organizing the two-month strike that attempted to dislodge Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela, from power. The strikes toward that aim were unsuccessful.

He went into hiding last month after the Venezuelan government sought his arrest on treason and rebellion charges for his role in the strike. Ortega later took refuge at the embassy, saying he feared for his safety.

The Costa Rican government granted the opposition leader asylum because it is convinced of Ortega’s claims that he is not safe in Venezuela where he may be a target of violence, according to the executive order allowing the asylum signed by Abel Pacheco, president of Costa Rica.

The friendship between the governments of Costa Rica and Venezuela will not be affected by this  incident, said Roberto Tovar, Costa Rica’s foreign minister. The Venezuelan authorities were cooperative in the effort to transfer Ortega from the country, Tovar said.

Tovar and Ortega met here in the Casa Amarilla upon the Venezuelan’s arrival. Tovar welcomed Ortega on behalf of the Costa Rican people and then Ortega thanked them. The union leader is here to work and not vacation, he said. Ortega said he could make plans to go to the United States or Spain. Other opponents of Chavez have been granted asylum in other nations.