Page 12 - aruba-today-20171118

A12 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 18 November 2017

Ousted Caracas mayor flees house arrest, heads to Europe

police officers stationed 24 of anti-government in pro-
hours a day outside his resi- tests that rocked Venezu-
dence, but said that during ela in 2014 that also led to
the long, nighttime drive the jailing of other promi-
past several national guard nent opponents, including
checkpoints to Venezuela’s his former cellmate Leop-
western border, he relied oldo Lopez, who remains
on the help of members under house arrest.
of the security forces he He said the decision to
described as increasingly abandon his homeland
fed up with President Nico- was driven by unspecified
las Maduro. “This decision threats intended to force
I took consulting only my the opposition to resume
conscience,” he said, add- politically fraught nego-
ing that he had spoken by tiations with the govern-
phone to Colombian Presi- ment. Ledezma was forc-
dent Juan Manuel Santos, ibly taken from his home in
who offered his support. the middle of the night in
Colombian immigration au- August and thrown back
thorities said in a statement in jail for a few days as
that Ledezma entered the government cracked
the country legally after down on opponents fol-
crossing the Simon Bolivar lowing criticism of a vote
bridge separating the two granting the ruling party
countries. There was no im- nearly unlimited powers.
mediate reaction from the Ledezma has adamantly
Ousted Caracas Mayor Antonio Ledezma greets a journalist at El Dorado international airport, as Venezuelan government. criticized other members of
he walks to his gate for departure, in Bogota, Colombia, Friday, Nov. 17, 2017. Ledezma, one of As Venezuelans were wak- the opposition alliance for
Venezuela’s most prominent opposition leaders, said he plans to take his fight against Venezuela’s ing up to the news of Le- being too accommodat-
socialist government to Europe after he escaped house arrest in Caracas, and fled to Colombia dezma’s escape and resur- ing with the government.
on Friday. facing in Colombia, several Lawmakers from his Alli-
(AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
heavily armed police of- ance for the Brave People
By JOSHUA GOODMAN apparent embarrassment Press in a phone interview ficers surrounded his resi- political party were among
Associated Press for security forces who had minutes before boarding a dence in Caracas. a small group of hardliners
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) been keeping close watch Madrid-bound plane in Co- Ledezma, 62, was removed who this week formed their
— Ousted Caracas May- over one of Venezuela’s lombia’s capital. as mayor of Caracas and own parliamentary bloc af-
or Antonio Ledezma said most prominent opposition He said the decision to flee detained in 2015 on charg- ter the main opposition al-
he plans to take his fight leaders. Venezuela was his alone, es of plotting to oust Mad- liance sent representatives
against Venezuela’s social- “I’m more useful fighting kept secret even from his uro. After a few months in to the Dominican Republic
ist government to Europe for Venezuela’s democra- family, which has been liv- jail he was released and to discuss an agenda for
after he escaped house ar- cy abroad than I am as a ing abroad. He provided no placed under house arrest future talks with senior of-
rest and fled to Colombia hostage at my home,” Le- details of how he sneaked due to health issues. ficials. Those negotiations
on Friday. The flight was an dezma told The Associated past the Sebin intelligence He was one of the leaders are slated to begin Dec. 1
under international media-
Belize: tion from six nations, includ-
ing Maduro’s leftist allies Ni-
Acting PM’s plane crash caused by passing car caragua and Bolivia.
“I’ve never been an en-
emy of dialogue, but these
talks are a joke,” Ledezma
MEXICO CITY (AP) — The rick Faber and the coun- landings. clear, shallow water near said. Having outlasted
government of the tiny try’s agriculture minister The government said in a the semi-submerged plane, months of deadly unrest
Central American coun- was taking off from the tiny statement that “the left some wearing inflatable life and consolidated his grip
try of Belize said its acting airstrip in the town of Pla- landing wheel made con- vests and chatting calmly. on power, Maduro is hop-
prime minister is safe after cencia Friday when one of tact with a passing vehicle The firm said in a statement ing he can convince the
the small prop plane he the wheels on its landing that had managed to by- that “the Belize Airports opposition to sign off on
was riding in crashed into gear clipped a passing car. pass one of the lowered Authority had placed bar- plans to restructure Vene-
the sea after takeoff on Fri- A road passes near the end barriers.” riers and signage in place zuela’s foreign debt as U.S.
day. of the airstrip and a barrier Photos distributed by the at the Placencia airstrip financial sanctions exac-
A Tropic Air flight carrying is usually lowered to stop government showed pas- to prevent just such an erbate the country’s eco-
Acting Prime Minister Pat- traffic during takeoffs and sengers and crew in crystal occurrence.”q nomic misery. q