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A2 UP FRONT
Tuesday 5 June 2018

U.S. renews call for OAS to suspend Venezuela

By MATTHEW LEE and LUIS asked.
ALONSO LUGO Among other nations, only
Associated Press Bolivian foreign minister
WASHINGTON (AP) — Fernando Huanacuni
The Trump administration expressed support for
renewed its call Monday the Maduro government
for the Organization during Monday's session.
of American States to The Mexican foreign
suspend Venezuela and for minister Luis Videgaray
other members to step up denied that the Lima Group
pressure on the country's of countries was seeking to
government to restore destabilize Venezuela. "It is
constitutional order. an injustice to countries that
Secretary of State Mike have participated several
Pompeo told the Western times to reach a peaceful
Hemisphere bloc that solution," he said, referring
President Nicolas Maduro's to failed efforts last year
government was in the to mediate between the
process of a "full-scale Venezuelan government
dismantling" of democracy. and the opposition.
Vice President Mike Pence Pence is expected to
had earlier called for echo Pompeo's call for
Venezuela's suspension. Venezuela's suspension at a
In his remarks, Pompeo Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, center, attends a session of the General Assembly of the cocktail reception Monday
again condemned Organization of American States (OAS), Monday, June 4, 2018, in Washington. evening at the White House
last month's disputed Associated Press for top officials attending
elections, in which Maduro the OAS assembly.
was returned to power, Assembly an item related vote explicitly calling for Jorge Arreaza responded Pence spoke by phone
as a "sham" and said to the crisis in Venezuela. Venezuela's suspension Monday by accusing the Monday with President
the government had In Caracas, Maduro was not expected at U.S. of illegal interference Lenin Moreno of Ecuador,
"exhausted all options for accused the United States the current session amid in its internal affairs and and they discussed the
dialogue." of pressuring several uncertainty about whether violating the OAS charter need "to work together
"The suspension is not a goal countries in a "vulgar" it would win the required by imposing sanctions. with like-minded
by itself, but it will show that way, claiming the U.S. was backing of two-thirds of the "No government has nations to protect and
the OAS backs its words threatening to withdraw member states. the moral authority to promote freedom in the
with actions," said Pompeo financial aid and even The Lima Group and the recognize or not our hemisphere," according to
at the General Assembly, impose sanctions to get its U.S. had already refused government," said Arreaza. a White House statement.
the highest-level meeting way. to recognize the victory Venezuela is already Ecuador is not part of the
of the OAS. But while the United of Maduro in the May maneuvering to leave the Lima Group.
A total of 20 foreign States, Mexico and other presidential election, OAS itself. It began that Pence made a similar
ministers of the 34 member members of the so- saying it failed to meet two-year process in April request last month, when
states of the body had called Lima Group were "international standards 2017. he became the first U.S.
agreed earlier Monday to pushing for the adoption of a democratic, free, just "How are they going to vice president to address
include for the first time in of a resolution critical of and transparent process." eject us from a place we the OAS since Al Gore in
the agenda of its General Maduro's government, a Venezuela's foreign minister already left?" Arreaza 1994.q
Former intelligence official charged with espionage

By JULIAN HATTEM complaint, prosecutors the U.S. government, he violation of export controls. time with the Defense
Associated Press claimed Syracuse, Utah, allegedly attended trade If convicted, he faces life in Intelligence Agency. He
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A resident Ron Rockwell conferences on behalf prison. left the military in 2006 but
former U.S. intelligence Hansen, 58, was paid of China and shared No attorney was listed spent several months as a
officer was charged with up to $800,000 over information he gathered for Hansen in charging civilian case officer with
attempted espionage several years for passing with officials connected documents. No phone the DIA.
for trying to sell secrets along technology and to Chinese intelligence. number was publicly listed. In 2016, Hansen allegedly
to China, the Justice information about U.S. Charging documents According to charging told an FBI informant that
Department announced military and intelligence also allege he transferred documents, Hansen spent he was doing consulting
Monday. issues. forensic software worth more than 20 years in for China's Ministry of State
In a 41-page felony Several years after he left several thousand dollars, in the U.S. Army including Security.q