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A28 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 26 May 2020
Venezuela celebrates docking of tanker with Iran gasoline

By SCOTT SMITH pair. The country produces
Associated Press a fraction of oil it did when
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) Maduro's predecessor, the
— Venezuelan authorities late Hugo Chávez, rose to
celebrated Monday as power two decades ago
the first of five Iranian tank- and launched Venezuela's
ers loaded with gasoline socialist revolution.
docked in the South Ameri- Critics blame corruption
can country, delivering and mismanagement amid
badly needed fuel to the an economic crisis that has
crisis-stricken nation that sits led to huge migration by
atop the world's largest oil Venezuelans seeking to es-
reserves. The gasoline ship- cape poverty, shortages of
ments are arriving in defi- basic goods and crime.
ance of stiff sanctions by Deep gasoline shortages
the Trump administration have plagued Venezu-
against both nations, and ela for years, though the
they mark a new era in the problem had until recently
burgeoning relationship largely spared the capital
between Venezuela and of Caracas.
Iran, which is expanding Despite Washington's ob-
its footprint in the Western jections, the first ship ar-
Hemisphere. rived with no interference
State TV played images People push a car that ran out of gas to a state-run oil company PDVSA filling station in Caracas, from U.S. ships patrolling
of the ship pulling through Venezuela, Monday, May 25, 2020. Associated Press the Caribbean on what of-
Caribbean waters as Ven- ficials call a drug interdic-
ezuelan fighter jets flew tion of nearly 60 nations, ing the party of hiring "mer- Caracas Capital Markets, tion mission.
overhead. Aissami posted which consider Maduro's cenaries" who carried out said the Iranian shipments Maduro on Sunday ex-
photographs on his Twitter election a fraud because a recent failed incursion, were anything but a victory pressed gratitude to Iranian
account of the sun rising his most popular rivals were among other alleged acts. for Venezuelans. The first President Hassan Rouhani,
over the tanker docked at banned from running. Guaidó advisers had dealt tanker carries an estimated Iran's Supreme Leader Aya-
El Palito refinery. In a sign of rising tension in- with the man leading the 11 million gallons of gaso- tollah Ai Khamenei and the
Washington says both Iran side Venezuela, the chief attempt, though Guaidó line to a nation with roughly Iranian people, from "the
and Venezuela are ruled prosecutor on Monday himself denied any involve- 5 million cars, he said. bottom of my heart." He
by repressive regimes. It re- asked the pro-Maduro Su- ment. "Venezuela, the country said Iran and Venezuela
cently offering a $15 million preme Court to decide The first Iranian ship to ar- with the largest oil reserves have a right just like any
reward for Maduro's arrest whether Guaidó's political rive, the Fortune, is trailed in the world, is now re- other nations in the world
on drug smuggling charges party Popular Will should be by four other tankers ex- duced to importing millions to engage in trade.
in a "maximum pressure" designated a terrorist orga- pected to arrive in the of gallons of gasoline from We are "two rebel nations,
campaign against the so- nization. next few days. The ship- another failed pariah state two revolutionary nations
cialist leader. "Confronted with the im- ments, however, only carry halfway around the world," that will never kneel down
Washington recognizes possibility of obtaining enough fuel for two or three Dallen said. before U.S. imperialism,"
opposition politician Juan power through votes, Pop- weeks, analysts say. Venezuela also has one of Maduro said. "Venezuela
Guaidó as Venezuela's le- ular Will has turned to vio- Russ Dallen, head of the Mi- the world's largest refineries, has friends in this world, and
gitimate leader in a coali- lence," Saab said, accus- ami-based investment firm which has fallen to disre- brave friends at that."q

Ex-strongman Bouterse seeks another term in Suriname

President Dési Bouterse: a pain is eased somewhat reduced the number of
former coup leader and by food parcels distributed international election ob-
strongman, convicted of to party supporters, and servers, and some believe
murder and drug smug- many credit Bouterse for re- the virus-prompted ban on
gling, overseeing a dire cent oil discoveries off the mass meetings favors Bout-
economy. Surinamese coast, which erse, who has continued to
Yet the charismatic 74-year- give some confidence in make official visits to poor
old president stands a fair their future. neighborhoods.
chance of holding onto "This is the last chance for Bouterse first came to pow-
power as the small South Suriname. Bouterse can't er in a 1980 coup and ruled
American nation elects a be president anymore!" for seven years, marked
new National Assembly on said a man dressed in the by the December 1982
Monday — a body that will VHP's orange flag who was murders of 15 political op-
choose the next president first in line to vote at the ponents. Last November,
in August. Clevia Public School. a Suriname court convited
Bouterse's National Demo- But the opposition is di- Bouterse of murder and
In this Aug. 12, 2015 file photo, Suriname President Desire "Desi" cratic Party has built deep vided among more than sentenced him to 20 years
Delano Bouterse observes a military parade, after being sworn
in for his second term, in Paramaribo, Suriname. support among the coun- a dozen parties and there in prison — though it made
Associated Press try's poor, many of them are believed to be a large no move to arrest him and
black or of mixed race, who number of undecided vot- he is appealing. He also
By HARMEN BOERBOOM (AP) — Few leaders have feel Bouterse is the first poli- ers. Opposition activists faces an 11-year sentence
Associated Press the sort of shadows that tician ever to pay attention are also worried that the in the Netherlands for drug
PARAMARIBO, Suriname hang over Suriname's to them. Their economic coronavirus pandemic has smuggling. q