Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 23 august 2017

Venezuela leader brands ousted chief prosecutor a fugitive

The declaration from the cross-hairs of Maduro’s
Maduro came shortly after government since break-
Ortega announced that ing ranks in recent months
she was traveling to Brazil with his administration.
to participate in a meet- Ortega and Ferrer are both
ing of the Mercosur group longtime socialist party loy-
at which she plans to pres- alists who have been out-
ent incriminating evidence spoken in criticizing Mad-
against Venezuela’s presi- uro’s call for the constitu-
dent. tional assembly to rewrite
The South American trade Venezuela’s charter.
bloc suspended Venezu- Removing Ortega from her
ela in early August for fail- post was one of the new
ing to uphold democratic assembly’s first acts.
norms. The new chief prosecutor
Ortega did not present is accusing Ferrer of being
any details, but on Friday part of a $6 million extor-
she told a group of Latin tion rink that operated un-
American prosecutors that der Ortega’s watch.
Maduro removed her in Maduro said Tuesday that
order to halt a probe link- he is alerting international
ing him and his inner circle police organizations that
to nearly $100 million in Ortega and Ferrer are both
bribes from the huge Brazil- fugitives from justice.
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro holds a copy of the constitution, as he speaks during a ian construction company The couple went into hid-
news conference in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2017. Immigration authorities in Co- Odebrecht. ing after state security
lombia announced that Venezuela’s ousted chief prosecutor Luisa Ortega Diaz is on her way to The company last year ad- forces raided their home
Brazil. Ortega said that Maduro removed her in order to stop a probe linking him and his inner mitted in a plea agreement last week. Maduro said au-
circle to nearly $100 million in bribes from Brazilian construction company Odebrecht.
(AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) with the U.S. Justice De- thorities found vast “riches”
partment to paying bribes inside that he called “an
By JOSHUA GOODMAN hind a “Chavista mask,” ordered the legislator’s ar- to officials throughout Latin incredible thing.”
Associated Press pledging allegiance to rest. America in exchange for “I never imagined such a
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) the socialist government “Tell me who you walk with lucrative contracts. betrayal as this,” he said.
— President Nicolas Mad- installed by the late Presi- and I will tell you who you “This event will allow me to Ortega and Ferrer arrived
uro branded Venezuela’s dent Hugo Chavez while are,” Maduro told report- show the world the proof in Colombia on Friday
ousted chief prosecutor a working with Washington to ers, reciting a popular prov- that incriminates Nicolas aboard a private plane
fugitive from justice Tues- damage his administration. erb. Maduro and his associates from Aruba, adding to a
day as she flew to Brazil Ortega was removed by a “You keep company with in grave acts of corrup- growing list of dissident
promising to “show the new, pro-government con- the Colombian oligarchy, tion,” she said in a state- lawmakers and officials
world” proof that he is in- stitutional assembly in early Luisa Marvelia,” he added, ment released to the Ven- who have fled Venezuela
volved in serious acts of August and arrived with invoking her middle name. ezuelan opposition news in recent months.
corruption. her lawmaker husband in “You keep the company of site La Patilla. Colombian President Juan
Maduro said Luisa Ortega Colombia on Friday, a day the coup mongering Brazil- Ortega and husband, Ger- Manuel Santos said Orte-
Diaz had been hiding be- after the Supreme Court ians, Luisa Marvelia.” man Ferrer, have been in ga is under Colombian
protection and she will be
US expands Mexico travel advisory on crime, killings granted political asylum if
requested.
Chile announced Tuesday
MEXICO CITY (AP) — The U.S. State to the Gulf coast state of Veracruz, which includes the resorts of Los Ca- that it would grant political
Department expanded its travel ad- and the southern state of Chiapas, bos. The previous advisory had mostly asylum to five Venezuelans
visories Tuesday to warn of dangers that previously didn’t have them. In mentioned the capital, La Paz. who have been threat-
in parts of Mexico, like the Caribbean Chiapas, the department said “U.S. The department also extended a to- ened by the government-
coast, that previously hadn’t been government personnel must remain tal ban on personal travel by U.S. gov- stacked Supreme Court
covered by such alerts. in tourist areas and are not allowed ernment personnel to the violence- after being named to the
The new travel advisory doesn’t men- to use public transportation.” Chi- wracked state of Guerrero. U.S. per- court by the opposition-
tion the Caribbean resorts of Can- apas is home to colonial cities like sonnel had previously been allowed controlled congress.
cun or Playa del Carmen by name. San Cristobal de las Casas and Ma- to fly to the resort of Ixtapa and its The judges were among 33
But the advisory issued Tuesday says yan ruin sites like Palenque. The same sister resort of Zihuatanejo. Personal appointed by the Nation-
“turf battles between criminal groups language was applied to Veracruz. travel by land in the state and to the al Assembly in late July to
have resulted in violent crime in areas The warnings for Baja California Sur resort city of Acapulco had already replace current Supreme
frequented by U.S. citizens.” state were changed to reflect vio- been prohibited.q Court magistrates. q
Warnings have also been extended lence occurring throughout the state,