Fugitive from justice Luisa Ortega Diaz. File photo.
The former attorney general of Venezuela, Luisa Ortega DĂaz, accused of various crimes, requested political asylum from the government of Spain.
In a statement sent to European media, it was announced that the former official carried out the procedures for requesting political asylum in Spain on October 13, assisted by her legal advisor, lawyer Ismael Oliver.
Ortega runs away again
Let us recall that in 2019 Fanny Ardila Guerra, Local Attorney 63 of Bogotá, Colombia, the country where Ortega DĂaz fled to, issued three citations against the former official, requesting that she testify before an investigation for alleged crimes of corruption, and for receiving bribes from businessmen who made million-dollar contracts with PDVSA.
On that occasion, the Colombian president, Iván Duque, prevented the judicial process from continuing. Through a telephone call to the Local 63 Prosecutor’s Office in Bogotá, Duque used his influence. In fact, Ortega DĂaz did not attend any of the summons.
DespuĂ©s que se comieron al Pollo Carvajal, GuaidĂł se lo lanzĂł a EEUU para atacar a Alex Saab. El Pollo está en España, dĂłnde se suponĂa que ingresĂł "legal" por trámites que realizĂł la prĂłfuga Luisa Ortega DĂaz. Ahora Luisa está pidiendo asilo en España, ÂżcĂłmo se llama el guiĂłn?
— Vanessa Ortiz (@VanessaOrtizz) October 25, 2021
The self-exiled former official was dismissed in 2017 for treason, usurpation of functions, use of a false public document, and making false accusations, among other crimes. She fled to Colombia, where she was accepted as a “refugee.” Now, Ortega claims that she has allegedly received threats on her life and attacks against her freedom, for which she decided to flee to Spain and request asylum.
Spain seems to have become the preferred destination for former Venezuelan officials who have committed serious crimes, or for coup plotters and terrorists. Such is the case of the fugitive from justice, Leopoldo López, or Hugo “el Pollo” Carvajal, captured by the Spanish justice system, which temporarily suspended his extradition to the United States, or of Antonio Ledezma, a right-wing politician and also a fugitive from Venezuelan justice, among many others.
Featured image: Fugitive from justice Luisa Ortega DĂaz. File photo.
(RedRadioVE) by Daniela Jiménez
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SL
