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WORLD NEWSTuesday 5 April 2016
Venezuela: Philippine, US and
Australian forces
Reported abuses by police during crime crackdown start combat drills
HANNAH DREIER JIM GOMEZ
Associated Press
Associated Press MANILA, Philippines (AP) —
Thousands of U.S. and Phil-
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) ippine troops, along with
Australian defense forces,
— A leading human rights began annual drills Mon-
day to prepare to quickly
group says Venezuelan respond to a range of po-
tential crises, including in
police committed wide- the disputed South China
Sea.
spread abuses during a The exercises have been
opposed in recent years by
nationwide crime crack- China, which has territorial
disputes in the South China
down last year in which 245 Sea with several countries,
including the Philippines,
people died. Human Rights and suspects the drills are
part of efforts to contain
Watch published a report Beijing. Washington and
Manila say the drills are not
Monday in conjunction directed against China,
and that they also focus
with the Venezuelan group on responding to natural
disasters and humanitarian
PROVEA documenting crises.
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash
what they call a pattern Carter will fly to the Phil-
ippines to witness some
of illegal killings, arbitrary of the 11-day exercises,
underscoring the impor-
detentions, and wrong- tance Washington puts
on the joint combat drills
ful evictions during 2015’s that have been staged 32
times, said U.S. Marine Lt.
“Operation to Liberate and Gen. John Toolan, who
heads the 5,000 American
Protect the People.” military personnel taking
part in the maneuvers.
The group detailed 20 cas- Carter’s presence will “re-
affirm that the relationship
es in which witnesses say National Bolivarian Police officers in riot gear stand outside the National Assembly building in Ca- that we have with the Phil-
racas, Venezuela. A leading human rights group says Venezuelan police committed widespread ippines is rock solid and
police killed civilians who abuses during a nationwide crime crackdown last year in which 245 people died. we’re side by side,” Tool-
an, who heads U.S. Marine
were unarmed or in the (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) forces in the Pacific, said at
a news conference.
process of surrendering. A highly mobile rocket
system that has been de-
The Venezuelan govern- any crime to kneel in the man Rights Watch Ameri- despite indications that in- ployed in hot spots such as
sun or lie on the ground for nocent people were being Afghanistan will be used
ment acknowledges that hours, and beating people ca’s director Jose Miguel swept up along with crimi- during the Balikatan, or
for no apparent reason. nals. Shoulder to Shoulder, ex-
245 people were killed “It also shows that the un- Vivanco said. Venezuela has one of the ercises for the first time, he
checked exercise of power world’s highest murder said.
during the campaign, but by the executive in Ven- The government says the rates, and people here “We are very, very expedi-
ezuela has left people of all broadly support iron-fist tionary. q
has not said under what political stripes — including anti-crime campaign policing. And it’s the poor,
government supporters in those more likely to be
circumstances. The pub- low-income communities launched in July 2015 al- caught in the crossfire, who
— defenseless in the face most want to see greater
lic prosecutor’s office an- of abusive government lowed it to wrest back con- use of force, according to
policies and practices,” Hu- national polls.q
nounced this year that it trol from gangs nationwide.
was investigating the kill- Residents of communities
ings. The Human Rights targeted by the opera-
Watch report describes tion complained of police
cases of police robbing abuse last year, but many
people’s homes, forcing crime-weary Venezuelans
people not charged with supported the initiative
Group sues Puerto Rico bank facing liquidity crunch
DANICA COTO Fund Ltd. and others is the selected governmental de- have already said they ex-
Associated Press first of its kind against the positors race for the exits, it pect to default in May on
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) bank, which recently said will be impossible for GDB $400 million in bonds issued
— A group of hedge funds it faces financial problems. to restructure its debts,” the by the bank. The island has
that say they hold a sig- Puerto Rico officials denied lawsuit states. already defaulted on other
nificant amount of Puerto rumors it was closing amid The hedge funds demand- smaller payments.
Rico debt sued the island’s a decade-long economic ed that the U.S. District A GDB spokeswoman said
troubled Government De- crisis. Court of Puerto Rico stop the bank would issue a
velopment Bank on Mon- The hedge funds argue the bank from paying cer- statement soon.
day, a move that raises that the bank is violating tain creditors and forgiving The lawsuit comes just days
concerns about the future local laws by giving prefer- debt. The GDB has issued Puerto Rico’s treasury sec-
of an institution that issues ential treatment to certain nearly $3.75 billion in out- retary resigned as a board
loans and oversees the U.S. creditors, in part by allow- standing bonds, a portion member of the bank to
territory’s debt transac- ing government agencies of Puerto Rico’s $70 billion avoid a conflict of inter-
tions. to withdraw money even public debt load that the est. The treasury secretary
The lawsuit filed by New though it’s insolvent. governor has said is unpay- would be responsible for
York-based Brigade Lever- “IF GDB continues making able and needs restructur- going to court to request
aged Capital Structures preferential payments as ing. Government officials receivership if needed. q
