VENEZUELA: VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ WILL LET ACCUDED OF COUP PEDRO CARMONA LEAVE THE COUNTRY AND GO TO COLOMBIA ON POLITICAL ASYLUM

Record ID: 443033

  • Title: VENEZUELA: VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ WILL LET ACCUDED OF COUP PEDRO CARMONA LEAVE THE COUNTRY AND GO TO COLOMBIA ON POLITICAL ASYLUM
  • Date: 27th May 2002
  • Summary: (W1) CARACAS, VENEZUELA (MAY 27, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SLV/SV/CU OF THE DOOR OF THE RESIDENCY OF THE COLOMBIAN AMBASSADOR TO CARACAS (6 SHOTS) 0.36 2. SV PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ ARRIVING AT THE THEATRE TERESA CARRENO 0.42 3. LV INTERIOR OF THEATRE TERESA CARRENO 0.47 4. MCU (Spanish) VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ, SAYING: "In the face of the sovereign decision that we should respect of the government of Colombia to grant diplomatic asylum to Doctor Carmona, it is a sovereign decision of Colombia and we must understand it as such. In the next few hours, I am going to sign the safe conduct order so that (Carmona) can leave Venezuela." 1.22 5. SV OF PRESS 1.26 6. MCU (Spanish) CHAVEZ, SAYING: "For us, for the government of Venezuela, and I am sure for the people of Venezuela, Mr. Carmona is a fugitive from justice." 1.43 7. LV ASSISTANTS APPLAUDING 1.55 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 11th June 2002 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
  • Country: Venezuela
  • Reuters ID: LVAD4PTA63ACNQVC2VWKLMZBN23W
  • Story Text: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will let Pedro
    Carmona, the business leader accused of spearheading last
    month's coup against Chavez, leave the country and go to
    Colombia which has already granted him political asylum.



    Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Monday (May 27)
    he will sign a safe conduct order granting Pedro Carmona safe
    passage to Colombia where he has successfully sought political
    asylum.

    In a speech in Caracas, the left-wing Venezuelan leader
    said the Colombian government's decision Sunday to grant
    asylum to Pedro Carmona, a 61-year-old business leader who was
    president for a day during the April 11-14 coup, was "a
    sovereign decision" which Venezuela was obliged to respect.

    "In the next few hours, I am going to sign the safe
    conduct order so that (Carmona) can leave Venezuela," he
    added, speaking at a ceremony at a Caracas theatre.

    Carmona, who led the business group Fedecamaras and
    spearheaded opposition to Chavez before the short-lived April
    rebellion by disgruntled generals and admirals, had been
    taking refuge at the Colombian ambassador's residence since he
    escaped house arrest Thursday (May 23).

    His asylum request posed a tricky diplomatic problem for
    Colombia, which has squabbled with its Andean neighbour in the
    past over the activities of left-wing Colombian guerrillas on
    their extensive common border.

    Chavez's announcement that he was allowing Carmona to
    leave prompted angry chants of "trial, trial" from members of
    the theatre audience, but the president said Venezuela had a
    duty to respect international agreements on the right to
    asylum.

    Carmona, arrested by troops who restored Chavez to power
    last April 14, had faced rebellion charges along with a group
    of senior military officers also implicated in the coup.

    "Mr. Carmona is a fugitive from justice," Chavez said,
    adding that the decision to grant him safe conduct out of the
    country was a sign that the government forgave its enemies.

    Chavez, an outspoken populist who has ruled since 1998,
    has called for a dialogue with his foes, who oppose his
    self-proclaimed "revolution" and accuse him of trying to
    install a Cuban-style authoritarian regime in Venezuela.


  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register