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WORLD NEWS Thursday 8 February 2018

Venezuela talks break down as presidential vote looms

SANTO DOMINGO, Domini- puts at risk Venezuela's the U.S. to follow through
can Republic (AP) — Ne- democracy. He called on on a threat to cut off oil
gotiations between Ven- Venezuela's government shipments from the OPEC
ezuela's government and to accept the opposition's nation.
opposition have broken counter proposal. Secretary of State Rex Til-
down after they failed to "If the government wasn't lerson, who is wrapping up
reach an agreement on a afraid of a free election a tour of the region, said
formula for upcoming presi- it would have no choice Wednesday en route to
dential elections. but to sign our document, Jamaica that he was more
Talks aimed at resolving which is based on Ven- favorable now to the idea
Venezuela's grinding po- ezuela's laws," said Borges, of oil sanctions because
litical and economic crisis vowing to make the coun- the situation on the ground
have been taking place for ter proposal public in the had steadily worsened.
weeks in the Dominican Re- coming hours. "We're going to take it to
public. But the uphill effort In the absence of a deal, him and let him make the
fell apart with the two sides Venezuela's rancorous fight decision," said Tillerson, re-
accusing one another of for power could become a ferring to President Donald
grandstanding and nego- lot uglier. Trump. Four-digit inflation
tiating in bad faith.Domini- The Constituent Assembly, and widespread shortages
can President Danilo Medi- which is controlled by the of everything from cash to
na, one of the international government but consid- food has collapsed support
mediators, said Wednes- ered illegitimate by the U.S. for President Nicolas Madu-
day that the talks had en- and many foreign govern- ro's socialist administration.
tered an "indefinite recess" ments, has called for elec- But he’s betting he can still
after government nego- tions to take place by the win re-election after having
tiators left the Caribbean end of April, though it had sidelined several prominent
island Tuesday night having stopped short of setting a opponents and crushed
signed a draft agreement date to give negotiations a anti-government protests
that was unacceptable to chance. If the government last year that left more than
the opposition. goes ahead with the vote, 130 people dead. But he al-
The head of the opposition's Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro addresses supporters the opposition — or large leged that U.S. agents out
delegation, Julio Borges, during a rally marking the anniversary of the failed 1992 coup parts of it — may decide to of the Colombian capital
urged the government to led by late President Hugo Chavez in Caracas, Venezuela, Sun- boycott the contest, mak- of Bogota had ordered the
reconsider its stance while day, Feb. 4, 2018. Maduro will run for reelection in this year's ing sure that many coun- opposition to stand down,
reiterating that he won't presidential election. tries won't recognize the an accusation Borges re-
sign an agreement that (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) results. It could also prompt jected out of hand. q

Mexico pipeline thefts at record high, 10,363 illegal taps

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Fuel others are believed to be The thefts are carried out fuel, cocaine, 17 assault illegal taps were found in
thieves in Mexico drilled still working surreptitiously, by drug gangs, and heavily rifles, two .50-caliber sniper 2017. But 1,852 such taps
10,363 illegal taps into state- drawing off gasoline or armed criminal gangs. rifles and two claymore were found in the north-
owned pipelines in 2017, or diesel that is sold illegally In the northern border state mines. central state of Guanajua-
an average of about 28 il- or through established gas of Tamaulipas, for example, Three people were de- to, 1,443 in the state of
legal taps every day. stations. the army reported Wednes- tained in the raids. Puebla, 1,064 in Hidalgo
The government-owned Last year, the government day that soldiers had found The fuel thefts were once and 1,012 in Veracruz. In
oil company Pemex re- estimated the 2016 thefts several stashes of stolen largely confined to two or the State of Mexico, which
ported Wednesday that il- cost Pemex about $1 billion fuel, drugs and weapons. three states in Mexico, but borders Mexico City, 975
legal taps rose by about 50 a year. The scale of such The raids Tuesday and have since spread across taps were found. The illegal
percent, compared to the thefts has grown exponen- Wednesday near the bor- the country, including the taps are usually discovered
6,873 found in 2016. tially; just five years ago, der city Reynosa turned up suburbs of Mexico City. either because they leak,
Those are just the taps that Mexico found only about about 5,500 gallons (21,000 In Tamaulipas, once the make pipeline pressure
have been found; many 1,635 illegal taps annually. liters) of presumably stolen leader in such thefts, 1,100 drop or catch fire.q