Maduro critic flees country in speedboat

BOGOTA - Venezuela's former prosecutor general is in Colombia after fleeing across the border with her husband and two of her colleagues, Colombia confirmed on Saturday.

Luis Ortega Diaz was under investigation for fueling violent anti-government protests.

Efrain Antonio Torres, president of the Colombian Congress' Foreign Relations Committee, called on the government to protect Ortega.

"Give her every protection and political asylum so that she can tell the world all the evidence she has against (Venezuelan President Nicolas) Maduro in the (Brazilian construction giant) Odebrecht case," said Torres.

Odebrecht is embroiled in an international corruption scandal involving its systematic bribery of Latin American officials in exchange for lucrative public works contracts.

Ortega's departure comes after the release of a taped recording in Mexico, in which she accuses Maduro of involvement in the scandal.

Ortega, a ruling party member who fell out with Maduro and his administration, turned into one of its most vocal critics.

She reportedly fled in a speedboat, going from Paraguana Peninsula to the island of Aruba, where she then got on a private plane to Bogota.

According to a statement from Colombia's immigration service, Ortega landed on Friday afternoon "aboard a private flight ... and went through the corresponding immigration process with Colombian authorities."

On Wednesday, Venezuelan officials searched her home, after her husband was accused of running an extortion ring.

Colombia has served as a haven for Venezuelans who oppose their country's ruling party and President Maduro, and Colombia's government, along with its close ally the United States, backs the opposition struggling to take back power.

Meanwhile, Venezuela on Saturday invited governments from across the Americas that have taken a position on its political processes to gather for high-level talks.

The invitation was made as Venezuela's controversial National Constituent Assembly came under a new round of international criticism for allegedly usurping legislative powers, even though the elected body has the power to rewrite laws and amend the constitution.

The Foreign Ministry "categorically rejected" a statement issued on Friday by the US State Department, which calls the constituent assembly "illegitimate", and its assumption of related legislative powers a "power grab."

Xinhua

(China Daily 08/21/2017 page11)