Venezuelan Coup President Gains Asylum, Leaves for Colombia

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, May 30, 2002

Venezuelan Coup President Gains Asylum, Leaves for Colombia

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

Venezuelan businessman Pedro Carmona departed on Wednesday for Colombia, the country which granted him political asylum on Sunday, evading likely rebellion charges at home for being the day-long president during an April coup that briefly ousted Venezuela's populist President Hugo Chavez.

Carmona, 62, was taken under strict security measures from the Colombian ambassador's residence - where he had been taking refugeafter eluding house arrest in Caracas last Thursday - to the Miquetia International Airport and boarded a Colombian Air Force plane.

Chavez granted Carmona safe passage out of Caracas, and said herespected Colombia's sovereign right to grant asylum to whoever itwished.

Carmona will stay temporarily in Colombia and then move to a third country which is most likely to be a Spanish-speaking nationwith democratic liberty, where he is able to work, Carmona's lawyer Juan Martin Echeverria said Tuesday .

The former business leader was a key figure in investigations into the causes of last month's coup and faced likely charges of rebellion and "usurpation of power" at home.

Carmona was named by a military junta to head an interim government on April 12-13, during the short-lived coup that temporarily ousted Chavez, who returned to power on April 14.

Questions?Comments? Click here

U.S. Greets Chavez's Return to Power With Stern Warning

Venezuelan President Changes Military Leadership

Colombia Grants Asylum to Venezuela's Coup Leader

Japanese, Chinese Economy Combined to Overtake US in 20 Years ( 17 Messages)

WTO Entry to Bring China an Annual Increase of 3 Million Employment ( 5 Messages)

Clinton Reaps US$250,000 in 30-Minute Speech in Shenzhen ( 34 Messages)

Lee Kuan Yew: China to Overtake the US in 2050 ( 70 Messages)

UNDP Starts Research on Chinese Women in WTO ( 122 Messages)

Many Hurdles for Free Trade between Mainland and HK ( 24 Messages)