Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Monday 4 SepteMber 2017

Venezuela bars opposition activist from traveling to Europe

CARACAS, Venezuela Such a large sum of cash is ing investigated for, some
(AP) — A prominent anti- rare in Venezuela, more so government supporters
government activist was because like many goods have accused her of us-
barred from leaving Ven- in the country currency bills ing the funds to finance
ezuela on Saturday for are in short supply. Most “terrorism” — a term they
planned meetings with people have trouble with- frequently use to describe
European leaders, dealing drawing even the equiva- violent protests that have
a setback to opposition at- lent of the monthly mini- rocked Venezuela — al-
tempts to rally international mum wage — 250,000 bo- though they have present-
pressure on President Nico- livars or around $15 at the ed no evidence.
las Maduro. black market rate — from Tarek William Saab, whom
Lilian Tintori posted a pho- banks, the reason why the pro-government consti-
to on Twitter of herself at even taxi drivers and news- tutional assembly appoint-
Caracas’ international air- paper kiosks now accept ed to replace Venezuela’s
port holding a document payment in plastic or elec- outspoken chief prosecu-
signed by immigration of- tronic transfers. tor after she was ousted
ficials ordering the seizure Tintori denounced the recently, said Thursday that
of her passport as she probe as politically moti- her case was under inves-
was preparing to board vated, pointing out in a tigation but without provid-
an afternoon flight. Tintori video that it’s not a crime ing details. Saab’s office
said she had a meeting to have cash in one’s pos- said it was also investigat-
planned for Monday in session. She said the mon- ing two executives at lo-
Paris with French President ey, found in her car as it cal Banco Occidental de
Emmanuel Macron. was parked at her mother- Descuento in connection
No explanation for the in-law’s home, was to pay with the case for allegedly
travel ban was given, but for family emergencies diverting funds from the
the move came a day af- including the hospitaliza- bank to benefit themselves
ter she was ordered to ap- tion of her 100-year-old and third parties.
pear before a judge Tues- Lilian Tintori, wife of jailed opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, grandmother. Tintori said Tintori suggested that other
day to answer questions holds a copy of the Venezuelan constitution during a meeting she kept such a large sum members of Venezuela’s
about a large sum of cash with foreign journalists in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, Aug. 29, in cash because of spiral- opposition would take her
2017.
found in her vehicle. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan) ing triple-digit inflation that place at the meetings. Ju-
Tintori, the wife of the na- has pulverized the value of lio Borges, the opposition
tion’s most-prominent de- why the dictatorship is stir- was being investigated af- Venezuela’s currency and head of congress, said on
tained activist, Leopoldo ring the pot against me,” ter authorities discovered because no local bank Twitter Saturday that in
Lopez, said she was also Tintori tweeted. “They want in her car some 200 million would open an account or the “coming days” he will
scheduled to meet with to keep me from talking bolivars, around $60,000 give a credit card to such meet with Macron, Ger-
the leaders of Germany, about the humanitarian at the nation’s weakest an outspoken critic of the man’s Angela Merkel, the
Spain and the United King- crisis we are living in Ven- official exchange rate or government. United Kingdom’s Theresa
dom. ezuela.” On Friday, Tintori $10,000 at the widely used While it’s not clear what May and Spain’s Mariano
“The evidence is clear received notice that she black market rate. possible crime Tintori is be- Rajoy. q
Crime, violence dog Mexico as president addresses nation

By MARK STEVENSON and infrastructure projects Donald Trump’s tough line Pena Nieto defended free “Mexico has not faced
Associated Press but acknowledged the on Mexico and migration, market reforms passed on such a decisive and de-
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexi- bloodshed that’s on pace and on Saturday he vowed his watch and also took a terminative crossroads in
can President Enrique Pena to be the country’s worst in that “we will not accept jab at the candidate who years,” he said, adding that
Nieto said Saturday that many years. anything that goes against leads in polls to succeed the country must choose
security is his government’s “Recovering public safety our dignity as a nation.” him in June 2018 presiden- whether to continue down
top priority, amid growing is the highest demand of He also sent his regards to tial elections: leftist Andres the path of trade and eco-
violence and that is mar- the public and the high- the children of migrants — Manuel Lopez Obrador, nomic liberalization “or sur-
ring his fifth year in office est priority for the govern- mostly Mexicans — who who has espoused more render to a model from the
and despite figures show- ment,” he said, adding that were brought to the Unit- statist, nationalist positions past that has failed.”
ing significant drops in “all three levels of govern- ed States as minors and such as building more gov- Pena Nieto defended his
crime-fighting results. ment must strengthen their were granted temporary ernment refineries to re- government’s anti-crime
In his annual state-of-the- efforts. We still have a lot to permission to stay under place U.S. imports of gaso- efforts saying authorities
union address, Pena Nieto do.” Pena Nieto has spent an Obama-era execu- line. “There are visible risks have “neutralized 107 of
said there has been prog- much of the last year re- tive order that Trump may of going backward,” Pena the 122 most dangerous
ress in education reform sponding to U.S. President change or rescind. Nieto said. criminals in Mexico.”q