Carlos Ortega
Encyclopedia
Carlos Alfonso Ortega Carvajal is a former union and political leader in Venezuela
. Ortega, then head of Fedepetrol, the oil workers union, was elected leader of the Confederación de Trabajadores de Venezuela
(CTV) union federation in 2001. He was sentenced to a 16 year prison term for his role in the December 2002 boss lock out (not to be confused with the April 2002 coup d'état attempt), but escaped from prison on August 13, 2006.
(CTV), then the largest trade union
federation in Venezuela. The results were disputed and the Supreme Court
refused to ratify them. In April 2002, under Carlos Ortega's leadership, the CTV declared a national strike, to protest what he felt were the "increasingly dictatorial" policies of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez
. This culminated in a protest march to the Presidential Palace, Miraflores
. After violence resulted in the death of 19 people, President Chávez was briefly removed from power in the 2002 Venezuelan coup d'état attempt.
Between December 2002 and February 2003, CTV and Fedecámaras carried out a joint strike/lockout work stoppage (Venezuelan general strike of 2002-2003). Chávez had moved in late 2002 to implement greater control over the state oil company, PDVSA, and its revenues. For two months following December 2, 2002, Chávez faced a strike/lockout organized by the PDVSA management who sought to force Chávez out of office by completely removing his access to the all-important government oil revenue. The strike, led by a coalition of labor unions and oil workers, sought to halt the activities of the PDVSA, and for some time successfully did so.
was revoked after he failed to comply with the rules set by the government of Costa Rica when the asylum was granted: "he reportedly told a meeting in Miami, Florida, that he would return to Venezuela to work clandestinely to remove the government of Hugo Chavez." The Costa Rican government said Ortega had twice been warned about using his freedom of speech responsibly. After this Ortega left Costa Rica. On March 1, 2005, nearly one year after his exile to Costa Rica, Ortega was apprehended outside a Caracas
nightclub.
On 13 December 2005, Ortega was sentenced to 16 years for his role in the strike/lockout. He escaped from the Ramo Verde penitentiary with 3 accomplices, Jesús Faría Rodríquez, Darío Faría Rodríguez and Rafael Faría Villasmil, on 13 August 2006. His escape may have been facilitated by authorities. Carlos Roa, Ortega's lawyer, expressed surprise when hearing of the news and had doubts of its truth. The Attorney General's office announced that an inquiry would be made into "everyone showing solidarity and support" for Ortega's escape, and that those who "praised the incident" could be charged under Article 285 of the Penal Code, which "labels generic or indirect solicitation as a crime. Based on this assumption, publicity is also a requirement. This behavior can be established in three ways -solicitation to disobey laws, hatred among citizens and apology of a crime or defense of people who put public peace in jeopardy."
In September 2007 Venezuelan ambassador Armando José Laguna claimed that the Venezuelan government had discovered that Ortega had been residing in Lima citing photos of Ortega at a restaurant in Lima as proof. Peru's Foreign Affairs Minister José Antonio García Belaúnde later confirmed the claim made by the Venezuelan government and stated that Ortega had been granted political asylum on the basis of "humanitarian reasons".
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. Ortega, then head of Fedepetrol, the oil workers union, was elected leader of the Confederación de Trabajadores de Venezuela
Confederación de Trabajadores de Venezuela
The Confederación de Trabajadores de Venezuela is a federation of labor unions in Venezuela. It has close links to the Democratic Action party....
(CTV) union federation in 2001. He was sentenced to a 16 year prison term for his role in the December 2002 boss lock out (not to be confused with the April 2002 coup d'état attempt), but escaped from prison on August 13, 2006.
Head of CTV
In 2001, Ortega was elected leader of the Confederación de Trabajadores de VenezuelaConfederación de Trabajadores de Venezuela
The Confederación de Trabajadores de Venezuela is a federation of labor unions in Venezuela. It has close links to the Democratic Action party....
(CTV), then the largest trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
federation in Venezuela. The results were disputed and the Supreme Court
Supreme Tribunal of Justice (Venezuela)
The Supreme Tribunal of Justice is the highest court of law in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and is the head of the judicial branch.The Supreme Tribunal may meet either in specialized chambers or in plenary session...
refused to ratify them. In April 2002, under Carlos Ortega's leadership, the CTV declared a national strike, to protest what he felt were the "increasingly dictatorial" policies of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
. This culminated in a protest march to the Presidential Palace, Miraflores
Miraflores
Miraflores is the name of several places in Spanish-speaking countries. It is also the name of a battle fought in Peru in 1881. It means "to watch flowers" or "flower's view" from mira and flores .-Places:Europe...
. After violence resulted in the death of 19 people, President Chávez was briefly removed from power in the 2002 Venezuelan coup d'état attempt.
Between December 2002 and February 2003, CTV and Fedecámaras carried out a joint strike/lockout work stoppage (Venezuelan general strike of 2002-2003). Chávez had moved in late 2002 to implement greater control over the state oil company, PDVSA, and its revenues. For two months following December 2, 2002, Chávez faced a strike/lockout organized by the PDVSA management who sought to force Chávez out of office by completely removing his access to the all-important government oil revenue. The strike, led by a coalition of labor unions and oil workers, sought to halt the activities of the PDVSA, and for some time successfully did so.
Charges and asylum
After charges were brought against Ortega in relation to the strike/lockout, he was granted asylum from the embassy of Costa Rica on March 14, 2003, and left Venezuela on March 27, 2003. On March 30, 2004 Ortega's asylum in Costa RicaCosta Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
was revoked after he failed to comply with the rules set by the government of Costa Rica when the asylum was granted: "he reportedly told a meeting in Miami, Florida, that he would return to Venezuela to work clandestinely to remove the government of Hugo Chavez." The Costa Rican government said Ortega had twice been warned about using his freedom of speech responsibly. After this Ortega left Costa Rica. On March 1, 2005, nearly one year after his exile to Costa Rica, Ortega was apprehended outside a Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
nightclub.
On 13 December 2005, Ortega was sentenced to 16 years for his role in the strike/lockout. He escaped from the Ramo Verde penitentiary with 3 accomplices, Jesús Faría Rodríquez, Darío Faría Rodríguez and Rafael Faría Villasmil, on 13 August 2006. His escape may have been facilitated by authorities. Carlos Roa, Ortega's lawyer, expressed surprise when hearing of the news and had doubts of its truth. The Attorney General's office announced that an inquiry would be made into "everyone showing solidarity and support" for Ortega's escape, and that those who "praised the incident" could be charged under Article 285 of the Penal Code, which "labels generic or indirect solicitation as a crime. Based on this assumption, publicity is also a requirement. This behavior can be established in three ways -solicitation to disobey laws, hatred among citizens and apology of a crime or defense of people who put public peace in jeopardy."
In September 2007 Venezuelan ambassador Armando José Laguna claimed that the Venezuelan government had discovered that Ortega had been residing in Lima citing photos of Ortega at a restaurant in Lima as proof. Peru's Foreign Affairs Minister José Antonio García Belaúnde later confirmed the claim made by the Venezuelan government and stated that Ortega had been granted political asylum on the basis of "humanitarian reasons".