ACCUSED: LIFE HARD IN VENEZUELA

Hurtado, who lives in Venezuela but was arrested on December 10 at a hotel in Central Trinidad, appeared before the magistrate yesterday.

The court prosecutor, Sgt Joey Samaroo, told Darmanie that Hurtado entered the country on October 13, 2005, at King’s Wharf, San Fernando. At the time of her visit, the magistrate heard, a deportation order was in force against her.

Darmanie heard that Hurtado had entered the country before, but was placed on a flight back to Venezuela.

Samaroo stated that checks revealed that Hurtado, who is a mother of two, had been working at the hotel as a cleaner. Accompanied by interpreter Zulia Humbria Figario in the Fourth Magistrates’ Court yesterday, Hurtado pleaded guilty to the charge of breaching a deportation order. The charge was laid by Inspector Michael Marshall attached to Immigration (San Fernando).

When asked by Darmanie what she had to say for her actions, Hurtado began to cry. She told Darmanie that the conditions under which she lived in Venezuela were very terrible. She said she came to Trinidad to work in the hotel as a cleaner.

Darmanie opted not to impose a fine on Hurtado for the offence. The penality is $1,500 or six months of hard labour. The magistrate, however, warned her that she could only obtain work in Trinidad if she seeks permission from the Immigration Department.