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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 20 June 2017

Venezuela crisis tops agenda for Americas summit in Mexico

By MARK STEVENSON where the OAS talks are
Associated Press being held, holding signs
CANCUN, Mexico (AP) saying “No more deaths”
— Foreign ministers from and “no more hunger.”
across the Americas gath- Protester Pablo Quintero
ered in Mexico on Monday said he is a Venezuelan
with Venezuela’s ongo- who had to leave his coun-
ing political crisis foremost try “looking for food, look-
on the agenda.Nearly 70 ing for safety.”“We are
people have died, hun- asking for freedom for our
dreds more have been in- political prisoners, and gen-
jured and thousands have eral elections,” Quintero
been detained in months said. “Our people are dy-
of protests in the South ing from lack of food, lack
American country, but so of medicine.”Monday’s
far the nations of the West- gathering in Cancun
ern Hemisphere have been ahead of the Organization
unable to reach consensus of American States’ an-
on the matter.Even as dip- nual assembly is the latest
lomats convened in the of a series of high-profile
Caribbean resort city of diplomatic meetings to dis-
Cancun, tens of thousands cuss Venezuela’s crisis. But
of protesters took to the U.S. officials downplayed
streets of the Venezuelan expectations the gather- Anti-government demonstrators face off with security forces along the Francisco Fajardo highway
in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, June 19, 2017. Nearly 70 people have died, hundreds more have
capital, Caracas, to pro- ing will produce any imme- been injured and thousands have been detained in months of almost daily protests demanding
test against President Nico- diate results, insisting it was new elections as the nation battles triple-digit inflation, crippling food and medical shortages and
las Maduro’s government. part of an ongoing effort rising crime.
National guard troops and to raise awareness about (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
riot police fired rubber bul- Maduro’s increasing em- for Western Hemisphere af- Venezuelan government food and basic consumer
lets to try to disperse the brace of one-party rule. fairs, told reporters during a respect human rights, halt goods, leading to wide-
crowds. Protesters in Ca- “The government’s goal conference call from Can- its forceful crackdown on spread discontent with
racas chanted “Who are now is clear - to remove cun.Further dampening protests, hold timely elec- the Maduro government.
we? Venezuela! What do the remaining authorities of expectations of a break- tions and scrap a bid to re- The president has accused
we want? Freedom!” the freely elected national through, Secretary of State write the constitution. his political opponents of
A small knot of protesters assembly and replace it Rex Tillerson decided to Venezuela has struggled sabotaging the country
also gathered in the rain with a puppet,” Michael skip the gathering.The U.S. with an imploding econ- through economic warfare
on a highway outside the Fitzpatrick, U.S. deputy as- and other regional govern- omy, rampaging inflation and encouraging the pro-
Mexican resort complex sistant secretary of state ment are demanding the and chronic shortages of tests. q
Cuba rejects new US policy, saying pressure will not work

By MICHAEL WEISSENSTEIN to the policy announced in 1977 of the murder of a impose new limits on U.S. Cuba returned fugitives
ANDREA RODRIGUEZ Friday, Foreign Minister New Jersey state trooper, travelers to the island and and made a series of other
Associated Press Bruno Rodriguez said from as political refugees who ban any payments to the internal changes including
HAVANA (AP) — Cuba’s Vienna that Trump’s restric- had received asylum from military-linked conglomer- freeing political prisoners,
foreign minister rejected tions on transactions with the Cuban government ate that controls much of allowing freedom of as-
President Donald Trump’s the Cuban military would and would not be returned the island’s tourism industry. sembly and holding free
new policy toward the is- not achieve their objective because the U.S. has no Trump also declared that, elections.“When Cuba is
land, saying Monday that of weakening the govern- “legal or moral basis” to “the harboring of crimi- ready to take concrete
“we will never negotiate ment. He said they would demand their return. nals and fugitives will end. steps to these ends, we will
under pressure or under instead create unity behind Surrounded by Cuban- You have no choice. It will be ready, willing, and able
threat” and refusing to re- the communist leadership. American exiles and Cu- end.” to come to the table to ne-
turn U.S. fugitives who have He described fugitives such ban dissidents, Trump an- He said the U.S. would gotiate that much better
received asylum in Cuba. as Joanne Chesimard, a nounced from a theater in consider lifting those and deal for Cubans, for Ameri-
In a hard-edged response black militant convicted Miami that the U.S. would other restrictions only after cans,” Trump said.q