Costa Rica cancels asylum for Venezuela exile (Chávez opponent)

[arcos]

Costa Rica cancels asylum for Venezuela exile

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, March 29 (Reuters) - Costa Rica's government said on Monday it had canceled the asylum granted to an opponent of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez who took part in an anti-Chavez demonstration in Miami.

Union leader Carlos Ortega's presence at the protest on Saturday was "decidedly contradictory of the spirit in which asylum had been granted," Vinicio Vargas, Costa Rica's vice foreign minister, said in a statement.

The move came just hours after Venezuela's foreign minister said his country would lodge complaints with Costa Rica and the the United States, which has granted asylum to Venezuelan businessman Carlos Fernandez who also took part in the protest.

The Miami demonstration against Chavez and his ally, Cuba's Fidel Castro, was organized by Venezuelan and Cuban exiles.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N29477405.htm

[TinaTyson]

1. "Strike"

Organized by the Chamber of Commerce. Promoted by executives and managers.

Should rightly be called a lockout.

[arcos]

2. kick n/t

[Judi Lynn]

3. This is excellent. Costa Rican authorities are showing some character

and a bit of civility.

Poor, little Ortega, had to "flee" for his life:
Venezuelan Union Leader
Granted Asylum in C.R.


CARLOS ORTEGA
CARACAS (AFP) -- After nearly two weeks holed up in the Costa Rican Embassy in Venezuela, union leader Carlos Ortega, who last December started the 63-day general strike against the government of Hugo Chavez, has been granted asylum in Costa Rican and will arrive in San José this afternoon.

Considered a fugitive from Venezuelan law, Ortega was finally granted safe conduct by the Chavez, clearing the way for him to leave the country.
(snip)

Ortega, who headed the country's largest workers' union, CTV, is blamed by Venezuelan officials for leading the strike that paralyzed the oil industry and cost the country an estimated $6 billion.
(snip)

Costa Rican Foreign Minister Roberto Tovar, however, said Ortega will not be allowed to raise his voice, nor organize movements or political struggles while in Costa Rica.

"If he wants to do this type of activity, he will have to look to another country for exile," Tovar said.
(snip/)http://www.ticotimes.net/dailyarchive/2003_03/Week4/03_27_03.htm#story_one

It's not as if they didn't warn him. He already took part in a massive Cuban "exile"/Venezuelan "exile" anti-Chavez parade in Miami last winter on the very day the entire world was protesting _Bush's Iraq war hobby.

Carlos Fernandez


Carlos Fernandez hugging his little President for one day, Pedro Carmona.

Carlos Ortega and Carlos Fernandez


Another Venezuelan "opposition" protestor:

[Judi Lynn]

4. Latest recall news

Venezuela's Recall Brawl Goes to Top Appeals Body
Mon Mar 29, 5:38 PM ET Add World - Reuters to My Yahoo!


CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuela's highest appeals court will rule on a referendum against Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez after Supreme Court electoral judges on Monday rejected a previous decision to deny the opposition bid for a recall vote.

The latest move entangles the referendum challenge deeper in legal skirmishing within the politically divided Supreme Court and dims opposition chances of holding a recall on the leftist leader's rule before an August deadline.

Supreme Court electoral branch judges, seen as aligned with the opposition, on Monday rejected a constitutional branch decision a week ago that had dealt a blow to the vote campaign. Both branches claim jurisdiction over the referendum process.

"The Electoral Chamber is taking this conflict of powers to the court's plenary chamber to be resolved," electoral judges said in a statement to reporters at the courthouse.
(snip/...)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040329/wl_nm/venezuela_referendum_dc_1

[Judi Lynn]

5. Additional article on Carlos Ortega

posted by AP:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x453220

in which he actually says he wouldn't oppose a dictatorship for up to 15 years REPLACING Hugo Chavez. Un-bleeping-believable.