Carlos Ortega, president of the Workers' Confederation of Venezuela (CTV)

Carlos Ortega has no intentions to appear before any law enforcing agency

EL UNIVERSAL

President of the Workers' Confederation of Venezuela (CTV), Carlos Ortega, for whom an arrest warrant has also been issued, said he is not surprised by the detention of Carlos Fernández, president of the Federation of Trade and Industry Chambers (Fedecámaras).

He added that CTV and the opposition alliance Democratic Coordinator had already considered the possibility of the arrests. Ortega said they were prepared for "the escalation of repression by the government."

The union leader said that he had no intentions to appear before any law enforcing agency or court. "We have absolutely no guarantees -here (in Venezuela) there is no rule of law."

He said that they had gone through very difficult moments in the last week, as they had been told that the authorities would try to arrest them. He added that in his particular case the objective is not only "to eliminate him, but to eliminate him physically."

"I have no reasons to seek for political asylum. I have nothing to fear. I will continue to fight for the Venezuelan people, either publicly or secretly."

Ortega lashed out at "the pretensions of this regime to establish a dictatorship" in the country. He claimed that these new actions by the government had a damaging effect on the "Declaration against Violence and for Peace and Democracy" signed on Tuesday by government and opposition representatives before the Negotiation and Agreement Table chaired by the secretary general of the Organization of American States César Gaviria.
"With this, the Venezuelan government is making fun of the international community."

He also reported an "escalation of terror" by the Venezuelan government, which he accused of having very close links with international terror groups. He said the Venezuelan administration maintains a "very intimate, very close relation" with "Colombian narcoguerrillas. This administration is highly committed with Colombian outlaws."

See also:

Arrest prompts fears of Chavez crackdown