Not the best day for Hugo to leave Caracas... The BBC is reporting that Chávez's biggest political rival, Carlos Ortega, has escaped from prison. This is the union leader who basically orchestrated Venezuela's general strike in 2002, and he was sentenced to sixteen years in the pokey for it. Apparently he (allegedly) escaped with a couple of military officers and "may have been aided by some authorities." Hmmmm. Heading back to Costa Rica? Miami? The mountains to launch an insurgency? Definitely worth keeping an eye on this one...  ¶ 3:58 PM