Page 12 - ATD 05September,2015

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WORLD NEWSSaturday 5 September 2015

Trial of Venezuelan opposition leader Lopez nears end

HANNAH DREIER Lopez is charged incit- The judge could issue a ered statements calling economy sinks deeper into
Associated Press ing violence in his role as verdict immediately after. on President Nicolas Mad- recession.
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) leader of a bloody protest Hundreds of his support- uro to roll back what they One supporter protesting
— The more than year-long movement in 2014 and ers gathered in the streets say has been a consistent outside the courthouse
trial of Venezuelan op- could face more than 10 outside the court under policy of attacking and said that instead of ap-
position leader Leopoldo years in prison. the piercing early morning imprisoning critics. Maduro pealing to Maduro, she
Lopez was wrapping up He was expected to de- sun to demand his release, was in Qatar Friday, con- was praying to God, be-
Friday as the imprisoned liver his final remarks to the though few thought it likely tinuing a multi-nation tour cause he was the only
politician prepared to give court on Friday evening af- that he would be found in- to seek loans and action one who could create a
his final remarks in a closed ter both sides concluded nocent. on oil prices as the socialist miracle and bring about
courtroom. their closing arguments. Opposition figures deliv- South American country’s Lopez’s freedom.q

Guatemala ex-president tells court he’s innocent of graft

Guatemala’s former president Otto Perez Molina makes his first statement in court in Guatemala They presented 77 wiretap It was Perez Molina’s sec-
conversations that totaled ond day in court. He spent
City, Friday, Sept. 4, 2015, after spending his first night as an ex-president in military custody, more than five hours and the previous night, his first
were recorded over mul- as an ex-president, in cus-
following his resignation. He told The Associated Press that he had been uncomfortable tiple days, as well as docu- tody at a military barracks
ments seized in raids that in the capital.
overnight and slept little. “No jail is good,” he said. “I hope the judge gives me an alternative,” detailed how the bribes Dressed in a sharp blue suit
were divvied up. and striped tie, he told The
Perez Molina said in reference to being granted bond or house arrest. The court is considering a Prosecutors contend that Associated Press he had
when people in the wire- been uncomfortable and
corruption and fraud investigation against Perez Molina. (AP Photo/Luis Soto) taps refer to No. 1, they slept little, and hopes to be
were alluding to Perez Mo- granted bond or house ar-
SONIA PEREZ D. American nation. Linea,’” Perez Molina said, lina and that former Vice rest.
ALBERTO ARCE The former leader denied referring to the name of President Roxana Baldetti “No jail is good. ... I hope
Associated Press prosecutors’ allegations the fraud scheme, Spanish was 2. the judge gives me an al-
GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — that he was involved in a for “The Line.” “The structure under the 1 ternative,” Perez Molina
Otto Perez Molina sat in a conspiracy to defraud the Prosecutors argued that and 2 received 50 percent, said.
defendant’s chair Friday state by letting businesses Perez Molina was, in fact, and the 1 and 2 received Perez Molina formally
and declared his inno- evade import duties in ex- aware of the conspiracy, the other 50 percent” of stepped down Thursday
cence in a customs corrup- change for millions of dol- and formally asked the the money, prosecutor as Guatemala’s political
tion scandal that forced lars in bribes. judge to order a trial on Jose Antonio Morales al- crisis came to a dramatic
him to resign a day earlier “The first thing I want to charges of illicit association leged. climax, and Vice President
as president of this Central deny, I don’t belong to ‘La and graft. Baldetti resigned May 8 Alejandro Maldonado was
after her former personal sworn in hours later as the
secretary, who remains country’s new leader.
a fugitive, was named as He promised to lead an
the alleged ringleader of honest and inclusive tran-
the scheme. Baldetti, now sition government, and to
jailed and facing charges, restore Guatemalans’ con-
also says she is innocent. fidence in their democ-
“Your honor I am not going racy. Maldonado will serve
to risk my dignity, my work, the rest of Perez Molina’s
nor all the effort I have term, which ends in Janu-
made for Guatemala in ary. The country is set to
return for $800,000,” Perez vote Sunday for the next
Molina said in allusion to president in an election
dollar figures presented by whose timing has nothing
prosecutors. to do with the crisis.q

Argentina official says doors open to Syrian refugees

A. CALATRAVA refugees had arrived so beach. The photograph Commissioner for Refu- who arrived in October
Associated Press far. He said the Syrians will has drawn the world’s at- gees, estimates that the 2014. Under former Presi-
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina be welcomed through the tention to a wave of mi- South American country dent Jose Mujica, Uruguay
(AP) — Argentina’s cabi- country’s tradition of help- gration fueled by war and so far has welcomed less initially agreed to receive
net chief said on Friday ing out during humanitar- deprivation. than 100 Syrian refugees. a total of 120 Syrian refu-
that the South American ian crises. Since civil war broke out in Leaders of the Syrian-Leb- gees.
nation is willing to welcome “When you do something their country in 2011, more anese community, with an Current Uruguayan Foreign
more Syrian refugees flee- like this, it’s a very honest than 4 million Syrians have estimated 4 million people Minister Rodolfo Nin Novoa
ing their country’s civil war. act that springs from af- sought refuge abroad, the in Argentina, have asked has said that a second
Anibal Fernandez said that fection and solidarity,” Fer- largest number from any authorities to speed up group of seven families will
the government eased nandez said. crisis in almost 25 years, the procedures so more of the arrive later this year. He has
the entrance of Syrians He said he had been United Nations has said. refugees can enter the rejected criticism by some
through a program be- troubled this week by the Juan Pablo Terminiello, country. Uruguayans who believe
gun last year, but he didn’t image of a dead 3-year- legal associate at Argen- Neighboring Uruguay wel- their country should not
specify how many of the old Syrian boy on a Turkish tina’s office of the UN High comed 42 Syrian refugees accept more refugees.q