Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 24 augusT 2017
Venezuela’s ousted prosecutor accuses Maduro of corruption

By PETER PRENGAMAN ministration) is violating the
Associated Press constitution and law to pro-
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — tect itself.”
Venezuela’s recently oust- Ortega said she had evi-
ed chief prosecutor on dence implicating Maduro
Wednesday accused Presi- and other top officials in
dent Nicolas Maduro of corruption involving Brazil-
participating in acts of cor- ian constructor Odebre-
ruption, saying she would cht and other companies,
turn over proof that would which she did not name.
help other countries pros- But she did not publicly
ecute. give details.
Venezuela’s government Odebrecht has been at
quickly fired back, accus- the center of the massive
ing Luisa Ortega Diaz of “Car Wash” probe in Brazil
“grave moral and ethical involving kickbacks for con-
infractions.” tracts. Over the last three
Ortega spoke during a years, dozens of Brazil’s top
meeting of Mercosur trade politicians and business-
bloc prosecutors in the men have been jailed, in-
capital of Brasilia. Ortega cluding former Odebrecht
was removed by a new, CEO Marcelo Odebrecht.
pro-government constitu- The investigation has led
tional assembly in early Au- Venezuela’s ousted Chief Prosecutor Luisa Ortega Diaz attends a meeting of Mercosur trade to prosecutions in several
gust after breaking with the bloc prosecutors, in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017. Brazil’s attorney general is sharply countries in Latin America
socialist government. criticizing the recent ouster of his counterpart in Venezuela. Attorney General Rodrigo Janot said where Odebrecht and
that the removal of Ortega Diaz was “an institutional rape” and that it eroded the independence
She fled abroad with her of Venezuela’s justice system. other Brazilian construction
husband, whose arrest was (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) companies operated.
ordered by the country’s “I want to denounce, in situation in Venezuela: that Ortega said. “Because of Hours later, Ortega’s re-
supreme court. front of the world, a grave of excessive corruption,” that reason, (Maduro’s ad- placement, q

Journalist killed in Mexico at least 9th this year

By LEV GARCIA advocacy group said. eral government’s mecha- around 3 p.m. and was on the state prosecutor’s of-
CHRIS SHERMAN Candido Rios Vazquez, a nism for protection of jour- his way home, Perez said. fice said it was investigating
Associated Press crime reporter for the news- nalists and human rights Rios apparently stopped the killings.
XALAPA, Mexico (AP) — A paper Diario de Acayucan, workers. Perez said Rios had alongside the highway in Mexico is now the world’s
newspaper reporter in the was at least the ninth jour- been threatened repeat- Hueyapan to speak with a deadliest country for jour-
Mexican Gulf coast state of nalist slain this year in Mex- edly since 2012 by a former former police inspector he nalists. The killing of the
Veracruz who was enrolled ico. The State Commission mayor of Hueyapan de knew who was also killed widely respected journalist
in a government protec- for Attention and Protec- Ocampo and had a pan- in the attack, Perez said. Javier Valdez in the west-
tion program for journalists tion of Journalists and Ceci- ic button on his cellphone Alex Chang, a Hueyapan ern state of Sinaloa in May
was killed Tuesday along lio Perez Cortes, deputy edi- and a security camera at councilman, said Rios died brought renewed inter-
with two other men, one of tor at Rios’ newspaper, said his home. Rios had just fin- on the way to a hospital in national attention to the
his editors and a journalist the reporter was in the fed- ished his work for the day Acayucan. Late Tuesday, issue.q

Ex-president, ex-CEO are latest snared in Brazil graft probe

By PETER PRENGAMAN prominence on the same million in bribes from BR
STAN LEHMAN day. Distribuidora, a Petrobras
Associated Press The Supreme Federal subsidiary, between 2010
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) Tribunal, Brazil’s highest and 2014.
— Authorities this week court, said it was accepting According to prosecutors,
approved a corruption corruption charges against de Mello hid the bribe
probe targeting former de Mello, who currently money by buying property,
President Fernando Collor has partial protection from art and luxury cars,
de Mello and filed charges prosecution because of including a Bentley, a
against the ex-CEO of state his position as a senator. Ferrari, a Porsche, a Range
oil company Petrobras, Only the Supreme Federal Rover and a Rolls-Royce.
both signs that a mammoth Tribunal may try federal Juarez Tavares, a lawyer
graft probe roiling the lawmakers. for de Mello, told G1 news
country is far from over. The decision means de portal that there is no proof
Brazilians have become Mello officially becomes his client received bribes.
inured to near daily a defendant and the De Mello resigned as
announcements of raids, In this July 8, 2011 photo, Fernando Collor de Mello, former Attorney General’s Office, president in late 1992 amid
arrests and sentences Brazilian president and current senator, speaks during an which submitted the a corruption scandal as
related to the “Car Wash” interview in Brasilia, Brazil. Authorities this week approved a charges, can proceed with Congress was preparing to
corruption probe targeting the former president, related to the
investigation the last three “Car Wash” investigation. Mello is accused of receiving bribes its probe. vote on impeaching him. In
years, but rarely do they from a Petrobras subsidiary. De Mello is accused 2006 he was elected to the
involve two people of such (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) of receiving about $10 Senate.q