El Salvador has rejected an asylum request by two former Venezuelan police officers under investigation for their role in a 2002 coup that briefly ousted President Hugo Chavez.
In Caracas Friday, El Salvadoran Foreign Minister Francisco Lainez said his government did not approve the two men's asylum request. He did not elaborate.
Citing political persecution, the former police officers: Henry Vivas and Lazaro Forero, requested asylum last Friday after fleeing to the Salvadoran embassy.
Venezuelan prosecutors are investigating the men for their handling of the violent protests in April, 2002, that left 19 people dead and led to the short-lived ouster of Mr. Chavez. The government and the opposition blame each other for the shooting deaths.
Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.
