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| Latin America |
| Ortega goes underground... |
| 2003-02-24 |
| Every night for two months, Venezuelans knew where to find Carlos Ortega. The labor leader was sure be standing before cameras in Caracas, predicting the imminent downfall of President Hugo Chavez. "The dictator's days are numbered," Ortega would thunder at his news conferences, flanked by business leader Carlos Fernandez. Now Ortega, the leader of the strike that failed to oust Chavez, is in hiding, charged with treason and rebellion. Fernandez, accused of similar crimes, was seized by federal agents last week and is under house arrest. Chavez wants both men sentenced to at least 20 years in prison for inflicting pain and suffering on Venezuelans with a strike that crushed the economy. That's what Fidel would do, isn't it? "See how the others are running to hide," he mocked in a speech after Fernandez's arrest. Though I don't think Fidel gloats quite so openly... Hiding is uncharacteristic of Ortega, the most visible and pugnacious of Chavez's opponents. He is the only government opponent to claim a measure of victory against Chavez since the leftist president was elected in 1998 and re-elected in 2000. As president of Venezuela's biggest oil workers union, Fedepetrol, Ortega led a four-day strike in 2000 for back pay and a collective contract for 20,000 workers. Chavez ceded on both counts. I hope he can come out of hiding soon — to deal with Hugo's successor. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #1 Got ourselves another nutcase down south. HEY - stop electing socialist lunatics OK? Not so romantic is it? |
| Posted by: Rex Mundi 2003-02-24 23:51:41 |