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Four jailed Chavez opponents escape Venezuela prison
AFP
CARACAS
Petroleumworld.com 08 14 06
Union leader Carlos Ortega and three military officers accused of conspiring against Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez during a failed April 2002 coup have escaped from a military prison, a top government official said Sunday.
The escape "may have happened in the dawn hours" of Sunday, Attorney General Isaias Rodriguez said on the state-run Venezolana de TV network.
Defense Minister General Raul Isaias Baduel confirmed that the union leader and the officers fled the Ramo Verde prison located some 30 kilometers (18 miles) east of Caracas, Rodriguez said.
The men who fled allegedly had "responsibility in the attempt to assassinate the president of the republic" during the 2002 coup that dislodged Chavez from power for 47 hours, Rodriguez said.
Defense attorney Alonso Medina identified the officers as Colonel Dario Farias, his brother Jesus Farias and his nephew Rafael Angel Farias in an interview with Union Radio network.
Ortega, head of the Confederation of Venezuela Workers labor organization, was one of the leading figures in a prolonged strike against Chavez in 2002-2003, which resulted in estimated losses of 14 billion dollars. He faces charges of civil rebellion, the use of false documents and theft.
Costa Rica granted Ortega asylum when he became a fugitive from Venezuelan authorities in February 2003. But the asylum was revoked when he violated the terms, and Ortega returned to Venezuela in August 2004. Police arrested him in March 2005.
AFP 14 01 22 GMT 08 06
Copyright ©2006 AFP. All Rights Reserved.
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