Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, March 27,  2003

Venezuelan Union Leader
Granted Asylum in C.R.
CARACAS (AFP) -- After nearly two weeks holed up in the Costa Rican Embassy in Venezuela, union leader Carlos Ortega, who last December started the 63-day general strike against the government of Hugo Chavez, has been granted asylum in Costa Rican and will arrive in San José this afternoon.
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Journalist's murder suspect released
The only person charged with the 2001 murder of popular radio host Parmenio Medina left La Reforma prison on bail late Wednesday, three months after he was ordered held by the courts.
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Ex-Labor Minister Thrown in Jail
Former Labor Minister Farid Arales was turned over to police yesterday to serve a four-year jail sentence after a San José judge found him guilty of financial irregularities in his management of work permits granted to Nicaraguan immigrants.
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Night of Tales
Every Thursday, 8 p.m., at Bubbles and Bytes, in front of Estudios Generales School, University of Costa Rica Campus, San Pedro. Info: 273-4663.

Historic Films to be Shown at Museum
Rafael Angel Calderón Guardia Museum invites everyone to watch "Imagenes Primigenias," including movies by Lumiere Brothers, George Melies, and Edwin Porter at 6 p.m., Barrio Escalante. Info: 255-1218.

Book Exchange
Great opportunity to get the book you wanted to read and check out the art protest against war. National artists will be performing music, acting, reading poems, telling stories, dancing, etc. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at Plaza de la Cultura. Info: 305-6074.

Venezuelan Union Leader
Granted Asylum in C.R.

CARLOS ORTEGA

CARACAS (AFP) -- After nearly two weeks holed up in the Costa Rican Embassy in Venezuela, union leader Carlos Ortega, who last December started the 63-day general strike against the government of Hugo Chavez, has been granted asylum in Costa Rican and will arrive in San José this afternoon.

Considered a fugitive from Venezuelan law, Ortega was finally granted safe conduct by the Chavez, clearing the way for him to leave the country.

Ortega had been inside the Costa Rican Embassy since March 13, when he went in after two months in hiding, claiming that his life was in danger. He was granted political asylum the following day (TT Daily Page, March 17).

Ortega, who headed the country's largest workers' union, CTV, is blamed by Venezuelan officials for leading the strike that paralyzed the oil industry and cost the country an estimated $6 billion.

According to a spokesman for CTV, Ortega, upon his arrival in Costa Rica, will take over as the post of Vice-President of the International Federation of Free Labor Organizations, a group of 150 million worldwide affiliates.

Costa Rican Foreign Minister Roberto Tovar, however, said Ortega will not be allowed to raise his voice, nor organize movements or political struggles while in Costa Rica.

"If he wants to do this type of activity, he will have to look to another country for exile," Tovar said.

Journalist's murder suspect released

The only person charged with the 2001 murder of popular radio host Parmenio Medina left La Reforma prison on bail late Wednesday, three months after he was ordered held by the courts.

Covering his head with a dark sweater to hide from television cameras, Colombian-born John Gutiérrez, 33, got into a car, where at least two family members waited to spirit him away. His release came three months and three days after his arrest, and long before his six-month preventive detention was due to end.

According to Gutiérrez' lawyers, in comments aired on Channel 7 TV, the release came after the defense presented evidence that casts doubts on claims by prosecutors that Gutiérrez rented the house where Medina's murder was planned.

In press interviews granted in January, Gutiérrez proclaimed his innocence (TT, Jan. 3). He repeated those claims Wednesday.

"Justice was done," the accused murderer told reporters from the passenger seat as the car carrying him and at least one child relative left the prison grounds. "The judge and prosecutors realized that this is fair."

Despite the release, Gutiérrez still faces charges related to the murder and must report to judicial authorities weekly as a condition of his release, the television station said.

With the release of Gutiérrez, the murder again becomes a black eye for Costa Rica, which until the slaying had managed to avoid the nasty trend plaguing the rest of the region of journalists coming under threat and facing violence.

Medina was gunned down outside of his home in the Heredia hills on July 7, 2001, as he returned from recording his popular satirical radio program La Patada (TT, July 13, 2001).

The program was known for biting barbs directed at questionable business and government actions and had been focusing on irregularities at a Catholic Church-run radio station that the Church has since shut down.

Even with Gutiérrez' arrest, investigators remained tight-lipped as to the motives behind the killing, which was clearly aimed at the 62-year-old father of five.

His murder sparked widely attended protests against violence and international press freedom watchdogs warned the country that its ability to resolve the case would reflect greatly on the country's reputation as a bastion of freedom in Latin America.

Another person police feel may have been involved in the murder is in jail on non-related charges, but has not been charged with any crimes related to Medina's killing, Channel 7 said.