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A12 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 10 March 2018

Venezuela-linked trust sues foreign oil traders for bribes

By JOSHUA GOODMAN The Associated Press. "It's a
Associated Press long road, but every long
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) road begins with the first
— A trust linked to Ven- few steps."
ezuela's state oil company Boies said the 60-page
PDVSA has filed a lawsuit complaint reads like a
against major internation- John Grisham novel, re-
al energy trading firms for flecting the lawless behav-
their alleged role funneling ior by PDVSA officials and
bribes to corrupt company international oil compa-
officials in exchange for nies over more than a de-
rigged oil purchase con- cade. Switzerland-based
tracts. Glencore and Russia's Lu-
The civil complaint was un- koil are named as among
sealed Thursday by a fed- more than 40 defendants
eral judge in Miami and al- including rogue traders,
leges the ongoing scheme multinational energy firms,
cheated the socialist-run shell companies, mid-level
company of billions in lost PDVSA officials and a Ni-
revenue since 2004. caraguan-owned bank in
The lawsuit comes as the Florida
U.S. expands a criminal in- A Lukoil gas station is seen in Philadelphia. A lawsuit has been filed in Florida on Thursday, March The scheme to fix prices, rig
vestigation into corruption 8, 2018, against Glencore, Lukoil and other international energy firms for their alleged role funnel- bids and eliminate compe-
at PDVSA, and the Trump ing bribes to corrupt Venezuelan officials in exchange for rigged oil purchase contracts involving tition, as well as steal high-
state-run PDVSA.
administration threatens (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) ly-confidential information
crippling oil sanctions on by cloning the company's
the country sitting atop the involved in two other politi- ernment's determination where the rule of law ap- servers, was allegedly car-
world's largest crude re- cally charged cases strain- to show it takes corruption plies, where corruption isn't ried out by two former PDV-
serves. ing relations between the seriously. going to be tolerated and SA traders, Francisco Moril-
David Boies, the powerful U.S. and Venezuela, said "This is an action that Ven- where people who violate lo and Leonardo Baquero.
New York attorney repre- the lawsuit was prompted ezuela has taken to re- the public trust will be held Ramirez was not named in
senting PDVSA who is also by the Venezuelan gov- establish itself as a country accountable," Boies told the civil lawsuit.q

US: Mexico Playa del Carmen threat unrelated to ferries

By MARK STEVENSON But it did say that "we do infrequently, by drug vio- city is safe, despite the U.S. to emit this alert," the state
Associated Press not have information relat- lence, and the violent Jalis- alert. government said.
MEXICO CITY (AP) — The ing the ferry explosion to co cartel has been seen "All tourism and economic A Feb. 21 explosion on a fer-
U.S. Embassy in Mexico the security threat in Playa moving into the area. activity in Playa del Car- ry that runs between Playa
said Thursday that a secu- del Carmen." But it was not clear if that men continues in a normal del Carmen and Cozumel
rity alert about the Carib- That threatened to com- was in any way related to manner," the government injured 19 Mexicans and at
bean resort of Playa del plicate matters for one of the security alert issued of Quintana Roo state said least five U.S. citizens.
Carmen was not related to Mexico's key tourism sites, Wednesday by the Embas- in a statement, noting that After that, the U.S. Embassy
an explosion on a ferry that since the ferry threats had sy. hotel occupancy at the re- barred employees from
injured at least two dozen at least already been The alert included an indef- sort was 80 percent. taking the ferries to Cozu-
people. known and, according to inite ban on travel to Playa It said President Enrique mel, one of the world's busi-
The embassy did not specify Mexican officials, were re- del Carmen by U.S. govern- Pena Nieto attended an est cruise ship ports of call.
what kind of security threat lated to "business issues" ment employees. It said the ocean conservation con- And last week, undetonat-
it had been informed of with the ferry company. U.S. consular agency there ference in Playa del Car- ed explosive devices were
in the resort, which is near Now it appears a different "will be closed until further men on Thursday. found on another boat
Cancun, Cozumel and Tu- threat also exists. The area notice." "We do not know why the owned by the same ferry
lum. has also been hit, albeit Mexican officials said the U.S. government decided company.q