Venezuela’s deposed chief prosecutor and her husband have fled the country after she was dismissed by a controversial new legislative super-body.
Luisa Ortega Diaz and German Ferrer arrived in Bogota on Friday afternoon aboard a private plane travelling from Aruba, Colombian migration authorities said in a statement, Al Jazeera reported.
Ortega, 59, broke with socialist President Nicolas Maduro in late March and became a vocal critic of his government, eventually going into hiding after her dismissal earlier this month.
Ortega told Reuters news agency that she feared the government would “deprive me my life”.
It was not clear whether the couple were seeking asylum in Colombia.
On Thursday, the government-stacked Supreme Tribunal ordered Ferrer, a legislator, placed under arrest, a day after Ortega’s replacement, Tarek Saab, accused him of corruption.
Saab said Ferrer ran a $6m extortion ring under Ortega’s watch.
Ferrer denied the accusations and critics believe the charges are politically motivated.
NCA Tightens Grip
Earlier on Friday, Venezuela’s new pro-government constitutional authority declared it was seizing power from the opposition-led legislature, tightening President Nicolas Maduro’s grip on the country in defiance of international outrage, AFP reported.
It was the latest maneuver in a deadly political crisis that has seen Maduro branded a dictator by opponents, whom he in turn accuses of plotting with the United States to overthrow him.
The National Constituent Assembly unanimously adopted a decree authorizing it to “take over functions to legislate on matters directly concerned with ensuring peace, security, sovereignty, the socio-economic and financial systems, state assets and upholding Venezuelans’ rights.”
The opposition-led National Assembly rejected the move.
“The NCA is null and its acts are illegal and unconstitutional,” the body said on its official Twitter account.
