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A26 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 1 april 2020
US outlines plan for Venezuela transition, sanctions relief

By JOSHUA GOODMAN Abrams told the AP in a
Associated Press preview of the plan. “Even
MIAMI (AP) — The Trump people in the regime look
administration is prepared at this and realize Maduro
to lift crippling sanctions has to go, but the rest of us
on Venezuela in support of are being treated well and
a new proposal to form a fairly.”
transitional government re- The plan also outlines for
quiring both Nicolas Mad- the first time U.S. require-
uro and opposition leader ments for lifting sanctions
Juan Guaidó to step aside against Maduro officials
in favor of a five-person and the oil industry — the
governing council, U.S. of- source of nearly all of Ven-
ficials said. ezuela’s foreign income.
The one-page “Demo- While those accused of
cratic Transition Framework grave human rights abuses
for Venezuela” was pre- and drug trafficking are
sented Tuesday by Sec- not eligible for sanctions
retary of State Mike Pom- relief, individuals who are
peo. It echoes a proposal blacklisted because of the
made over the weekend position they hold inside
by Guaidó that shows how the Maduro government
growing concerns about — such as members of the
the coronavirus, which In this March 12, 2020, file photo, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks at a press supreme court, electoral
threatens to overwhelm the conference at the Miraflores Presidential Palace in Caracas, Venezuela. The Trump administration council and the rubber-
will announce Thursday, March 26, 2020, indictments against Maduro and members of his inner
South American country's circle for effectively converting Venezuela's state into a criminal enterprise at the service of drug stamp constitutional as-
already collapsed health traffickers and terrorist groups, according to multiple people familiar with the situation. (AP Photo/ sembly — would benefit.
system and economy, are Matias Delacroix, File) But for sanctions to vanish,
reviving U.S. attempts to Associated Press Abrams said the council
pull the military apart from power to a five-member Four of the members would would be on the council would need to be function-
Maduro. council of state to gov- be appointed by the op- but Pompeo said Guaidó ing and all foreign military
“This framework can pro- ern the country until presi- position-controlled Nation- would be free to run for forces — from Cuba or Rus-
vide a path that ends the dential and parliamentary al Assembly that Guaidó president when elections sia — would need to leave
suffering and opens the elections can be held with- heads. To draw buy-in from are held. the country.
path to a brighter future for in 6-12 months. The military the ruling socialist party, a “The hope is that this set- “What we’re hoping is that
Venezuela,” said Pompeo high command — the tra- two-third majority would be up promotes the selection this really intensifies a dis-
in Washington. ditional arbiter of political required. The fifth member, of people who are very cussion inside the army,
Under the plan, both Mad- disputes in Venezuela and who would serve as interim broadly respected and Chavismo, the ruling social-
uro and Guaidó, who some a key plank of support for president until elections are known as people who can ist party and the regime
60 countries recognize as Maduro — would remain in held, would be named by work with the other side,” on how to get out of the
Venezuela's rightful leader, place for the duration of the the other council members. U.S. Special Representa- terrible crisis they’re in,”
would step aside and cede transitional government. Neither Maduro nor Guaidó tive for Venezuela Elliott Abrams said.q

US warship captain seeks crew isolation as virus spreads

By LOLITA C. BALDOR Asso- members tested positive. gon has identified as a fun-
ciated Press “We are not at war. Sailors damental shift from fight-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The do not need to die. If we ing insurgent and extremist
captain of a U.S. Navy air- do not act now, we are fail- conflicts in the Middle East
craft carrier facing a grow- ing to properly take care of to a return to “great power
ing outbreak of the coro- our most trusted asset our competition." That means,
navirus is asking for per- sailors," said its Navy Capt. principally, a bigger focus
mission to isolate the bulk Brett Crozier, in a memo on China, including its mili-
of his roughly 5,000 crew obtained by The Associ- tarization of disputed areas
members on shore, which ated Press. of the South China Sea.
would take the warship out A U.S. Navy official said The carrier, like other Navy
of duty in an effort to save Crozier alerted command- ships, is vulnerable to infec-
lives. ers on Sunday evening of tious disease spread given
The ship is docked in Guam. the continuing challenges its close quarters. The mas-
In a memo to Navy lead- in isolating the virus. The of- sive ship is more than 1,000
ers, the captain of the USS ficial, who spoke on condi- feet long; sailors are spread
Theodore Roosevelt said tion of anonymity to discuss out across a labyrinth of
the spread of the disease internal deliberations, said decks linked by steep lad-
is ongoing and accelerat- In this April 13, 2018, file photo the USS Theodore Roosevelt Crozier wants more iso- der-like stairs and narrow
aircraft carrier is anchored off Manila Bay west of Manila,
ing, and said that removing Philippines. The captain of the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier facing lated housing for the crew corridors.
all but 10% of the crew is a a growing outbreak of the coronavirus is asking for permission and that Navy leadership is Enlisted sailors and officers
“necessary risk” in order to to isolate the bulk of his roughly 5,000 crew members on shore, reviewing options to ensure have separate living quar-
stop the spread of the virus. which would take the warship out of duty in an effort to save the health and safety of ters, but they routinely grab
U.S. Navy leaders on Tues- lives. The ship is docked in Guam (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez, File) the crew. their food from crowded
day were scrambling to Associated Press In Asia, a carrier presence is buffet lines and eat at ta-
determine how to best re- spond to the extraordinary request as dozens of crew central to what the Penta- bles joined end-to-end.q