Venezuelan union leader freed after being sentenced to 7 years in prison in high-profile case

[joshcryer]

CARACAS, Venezuela — A Venezuelan union organizer was freed from jail Thursday, just three days after he was sentenced to more than seven years in prison in a case that sparked protests by human-rights and labour groups.

Ruben Gonzalez told state television he had been granted parole and would be required to appear before authorities every 15 days. He said he was pleased with his conditional release but was not totally satisfied because he is certain he committed no crime.

"The only thing I did was represent workers in their just cause," Gonzalez told a news conference in eastern Venezuela.

The activist was sentenced Monday for leading a strike that temporarily paralyzed the state-run iron mining company. The sentence drew protests from human rights groups, and some Venezuelan union leaders had pledged to wage street protests to press for his release.

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