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WORLD NEWS Saturday 6 January 2018

Top US diplomat in Venezuela speaks out on Utah man’s case

By FABIOLA SANCHEZ racy for the Venezuelan
Associated Press people.” The embassy has
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) also shared photographs
— The top U.S. diplomat in of him delivering toys to
Venezuela urged authori- children and visiting an his-
ties Friday to ensure trans- toric plaza in Caracas. On
parency in the case of a Friday, the U.S. Embassy
jailed American whose trial posted a photograph of
has become another sore Robinson on Twitter stand-
spot in relations between ing before the National As-
the two nations. sembly along with a quote
Newly appointed charge stating he was “honored to
d’affaires Todd Robinson attend” to the embattled
told The Associated Press legislature’s installation. U.S.
he reminded Foreign Min- officials announced in late
ister Jorge Arreaza in a December that Robinson
recent meeting of his “re- had met with Arreaza and
sponsibility to guarantee pressed for Holt’s release
transparency” in the case on humanitarian grounds
of Joshua Holt. during a “frank 20 minute
Robinson, a former ambas- meeting,” though no other
sador known for candidly details were shared.
expressing his views, also “It’s not enough under
pressed for U.S. consular the accords of the Vienna
access to the 25-year-old Convention,” Robinson
Utah man whose mother said of their access to Holt.
recently voiced concerns Todd Robinson the Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Caracas waits for his car after a Holt and his bride were ar-
about his health. The for- special session of the Venezuelan National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. rested at her family’s apart-
Robinson attended the special session that that saw lawmakers swear-in new board members,
mer head of the U.S. Em- Omar Barboza as President, Julio Cesar Reyes as first Vice President and Alfonso Marquina as ment in a Caracas public
bassy in Venezuela before second Vice President. housing complex by police
Robinson’s arrival was de- (AP Photo/Fernando Llano) who alleged he was stock-
nied access to a prelimi- his wife soon after. A judge President Donald Trump ezuela’s government ac- piling weapons. Social-
nary hearing in December. ruled in December that he took office. Dozens of Ven- cused the U.S. of harboring ist party leader Diosdado
“Without the ability to talk will have to stand trial on ezuelan officials have been plans to destabilize the na- Cabello has accused Holt
with him it’s difficult to know weapons charges, dash- sanctioned by the U.S. De- tion “which they intend to of running an espionage
exactly what is happen- ing the hopes of his family partment of Treasury, in- advance from the U.S. Em- ring allegedly operating
ing,” Robinson said after in Utah that he would be cluding four current and bassy in Caracas.” throughout Latin America
attending the opening of released and united with former military officers an- Since arriving last month, under U.S. orders.
the opposition-controlled them for Christmas. nounced Friday. The U.S. Robinson has made him- The jailed man’s mother,
National Assembly’s 2018 Holt’s case has become issued economic sanctions self a visible presence in Laurie Holt, has repeatedly
session. Holt traveled to another thorn in relations intended to further weaken Caracas, announcing in maintained her son’s inno-
Venezuela in 2016 to marry between the U.S. and Ven- President Nicolas Maduro’s a video that he hoped cence and asked for his im-
a fellow Mormon he met ezuela, which have grown grip on power in August. to promote the return of mediate release, a call she
online and was jailed with increasingly prickly since In a statement Friday, Ven- “prosperity and democ- retired on Friday.q
Former Peruvian strongman released from clinic after pardon

LIMA, Peru (AP) — Former Dressed in jeans and a blue tional condemnation. Unit- abstained. Polls show a was also later found guilty
Peruvian President Alberto polo shirt, Fujimori waved to ed Nations human rights majority of Peruvians be- of having had knowledge
Fujimori left the clinic Thurs- a crowd of supporters gath- experts called Fujimori’s lieve a behind-the-scene of the existence of death
day where he has been re- ered outside the clinic be- pardon an appalling “slap deal was struck between squads financed with pub-
ceiving treatment since his fore entering a black SUV. in the face” to the victims Kuczynski and Fujimori’s lic money that killed civil-
controversial pardon from “We are very happy to wel- of human rights abuses that lawmaker son. ians accused of being Shin-
a 25-year jail sentence. come our father in this new undermined the work of Kuczynski’s allies have de- ing Path members.
The 79-year-old former chapter of life!” daughter Peru’s judiciary. nied any such quid pro quo Some Peruvians credit him
strongman departed in Keiko Fujimori posted on The pardon came three took place. with stabilizing the econ-
a wheelchair alongside Twitter along with a photo days after Kuczynski nar- Fujimori was convicted in omy and defeating the
his youngest son less than featuring the family. rowly escaped impeach- 2009 for his role in the kill- country’s Maoist guerrillas
two weeks after President The pardon sent thousands ment following a vote in ings of 25 people, including while others condemn him
Pedro Pablo Kuczynski an- of Peruvians into the streets which 10 members of Fuji- an 8-year-old boy, during for permitting widespread
nounced his release. in protest and drew interna- mori’s party unexpectedly his decade-long rule. He human rights violations.q