On 13 December 2005, Ortega was sentenced to 16 years for his role in the strike. He escaped from the Ramo Verde penitentiary with 3 accomplices, Jesús Faría Rodríquez, Darío Faría Rodríguez and Rafael Faría Villasmil, on 13 August 2006. His escape may have been facilitated by authorities. Carlos Roa, Ortega's lawyer, expressed surprise when hearing of the news and had doubts of its truth. The Attorney General's office announced that an inquiry would be made into "everyone showing solidarity and support" for Ortega's escape, and that those who "praised the incident" could be charged under Article 285 of the Penal Code, which "labels generic or indirect solicitation as a crime. Based on this assumption, publicity is also a requirement. This behavior can be established in three ways -solicitation to disobey laws, hatred among citizens and apology of a crime or defense of people who put public peace in jeopardy." In September 2007 Venezuelan ambassador Armando José Laguna claimed that the Venezuelan government had discovered that Ortega had been residing in Lima citing photos of Ortega at a restaurant in Lima as proof. Peru's Foreign Affairs Minister José Antonio García Belaúnde later confirmed the claim made by the Venezuelan government and stated that Ortega had been granted political asylum on the basis of "humanitarian reasons". References Human rights abuses in Venezuela Living people Venezuelan trade union leaders 1940s births Venezuelan exiles Opposition to Hugo Chávez