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world news Diaranson 9 september 2020

Venezuelan gas lines surge as Iranian tankers go undercover

(AP) — Gasoline short- Venezuela holds the world's
ages have returned to largest oil reserves, yet it
Venezuela, sparking mile- is unable to refine enough
long lines in the capital crude to meet its domestic
as international concerns needs.
mounted Tuesday that Maduro's government
Iran yet again may be try- blames crippling U.S. sanc-
ing to come to the South tions, while critics say two
American nation's rescue. decades of corruption and
Three Iranian tankers mismanagement under so-
that delivered gasoline to cialist rule have left the na-
Venezuela earlier this year tion once-thriving oil in-
have turned off their loca- dustry in ruins. It is unclear
tion tracking devices for whether Iran is attempting to
up to three weeks, raising send gasoline in its ships —
suspicions among glob- the Forest, Fortune and Fax-
al ship trackers that the on. The Iranian Embassy in
tankers are again headed Caracas did not respond to a
to Iran's ally. request for comment by The
Associated Press. If so, this
Iran uses cloaking to evade would be the third time this
detection by the United year that Iran has sent fuel
States, which seeks to block shipments to Venezuela in a
shipments to Venezuela in a partnership between the two
campaign aimed at forcing nations that are both targeted
socialist President Nicolás by the United States as hav- beria. No military force was Venezuela because the vessels Taxi driver Miguel Veliz,
Maduro from power. ing authoritarian regimes. used in the seizures and the fit a pattern of an earlier ship- stuck in a long gas line in
Samir Madani, a co-founder ships weren’t physically con- ment to Venezuela, signal- Caracas, said Tuesday that he
of the independent oil track- Venezuelan authorities in fiscated. Rather, U.S. offi- ing a special delivery. Most didn't care where the gasoline
ing firm TankerTrackers. May celebrated the arrival of cials threatened ship owners, Iranian gasoline exports are comes from. He just wants to
com, said it is possible the five Iranian tankers loaded insurers and captains with shipped by foreign vessels, he get back to work so he can
three ships could make the with gasoline, sending fighter sanction to force them to said. earn a living.
entire journey to Venezuela jets to greet them entering hand over their cargo.There “The U.S. Navy isn’t going Veliz said that starting Fri-
with their transponders off. Caribbean waters and play- was no indication of how the to do anything against Irani- day he had spent a total of
“Frankly, it wouldn’t surprise ing Iran’s national anthem Trump administration might an tankers,” he said. “Iranian more than 15 hours waiting
me now at this point, given on state TV. That delivery respond to any further Ira- flag means it’s going to reach at three gas stations. Twice
that the Iranians experiment allowed the gas pumps to nian shipments to Venezuela. destination.” he was turned away, and on
on a weekly basis with new provide fuel with little or no The U.S. State Department Venezuelans are again scram- Tuesday he hoped he would
evasive tactics,” said Madani, lines. didn't respond to an Associ- bling to fill up, even in the finally succeeding in filling
who tracks shipments with However, U.S. officials a ated Press request for com- capital of Caracas — nor- up before his car's tank hit
satellite imagery and mari- month ago seized Iranian ment. mally immune to shortages empty.
time tracking data. “They’re gasoline en route to Maduro felt across the nation. Many “We'll see if I catch a bit of
really good at that. The best, in a flotilla of four Greek- Madani said he concluded the pumps in Caracas are shut good luck today,” he said.
actually.” owned ships flying the flag of three Iranians tankers loaded off and others offering fuel “What can I tell you? This is
the West African nation of Li- with gasoline are heading to had lines that run over a mile. chaos.”

2 women drop sex abuse case against US couple found dead in well in

Costa Rica ex-president northern Mexico

The prosecutors office said Monday
that “the two victims decided not to (AP) — Authorities have provide their hometowns, but
continue the criminal process.”The identified bodies found in a local media reported they both
decision to drop the complaints means well in northern Mexico as lived in southern California.
that a court could drop the charges, giv- two missing tourists from the
en that it appears prosecutors have no United States, officials said Meanwhile, at the southern end
other evidence to rely on in the case. Monday.The Baja California of the Baja Peninsula, the Baja
There was no immediate explanation state prosecutor’s office said California Sur state prosecutor’s
for the victims' decisions. in a statement that the vic- office said the body of 65-year-
tims were identified as retir- old Craig Harrison was found on
Rafael Rodríguez, a lawyer for former ees Ian Hirschsohn and Kathy the beach in Cabo Pulmo Satur-
Miss Costa Rica Yasmín Morales, who Harvey. Their disappearances day evening. An autopsy deter-
filed one of the complaints, said he were reported to authorities mined that he had been stabbed
could not comment on the decision to Sept. 2, the statement said. in the chest before ending up in
drop it. Rodriguez simply said “for us, the ocean.
this is over on the legal level.” Investigators searching an un- Harrison, a citizen of South Af-
The other woman did not respond to populated area south of Ensenada rica and Canada who settled in
text messages seeking comment. In spotted human remains at the Mexico, had been missing since
2019, Arias met with prosecutors to bottom of the well the following Aug. 29. According to his real
(AP) — Two women who had give a statement in the two criminal day. They were recovered Friday estate website, Harrison settled
lodged sexual abuse complaints complaints against him which alleged and Saturday, the statement said. in Cabo San Lucas in 1997 after
against Nobel Peace Prize laureate sexual assault and sexual abuse in 2014 No information regarding the working as an accountant and a
and two-time Costa Rican Presi- and 2015. cause of death or motive was pro- wine importer in Canada.
dent Oscar Arias have withdrawn The 1987 Peace Prize winner denied vided. The case remains under He ran a vacation rental business
those complaints. the first accusation when it surfaced investigation. Authorities did not in Cabo.
earlier that year