[NYTr] Peru Media Question Giving Asylum to Venezuelan Fugitive

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

Prensa Latina, Havana
http://www.plenglish.com


Peru Media Question Giving Asylum to Venezuelan Fugitive

Lima, Sep 3 (Prensa Latina) The possibility that the asylum granted by
the Peruvian government to Venezuelan fugitive Carlos Ortega will
affect relations with Caracas was headlined Monday by local press,
which devoted major space to the issue.

That risk would appear to be supported by Foreign Minister Jose Garcia
Belaunde's warning that the ex union leader is legally unable to make
political statements.

The Peru 21 daily considered that, despite the minister's optimism that
bilateral relations will not be affected by the asylum, "it cannot be
ignored that granting Carlos Ortega the status of political refugee
could originate new differences" between both governments.

It recalled that the prison escapee, serving a long sentence, is a
major member of the opposition and played an active role in the
preparatory mobilizations for the coup against President Hugo Chavez in
2002.

The newspaper recalled the close relationship between the fugitive and
Venezuelan ex-President Carlos Andres Perez, who in turn is very close
to Peruvian President Alan Garcia.

La Republica daily said the Peruvian government's decision "could open
a new battle front between Lima and Caracas."

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