Page 12 - aruba-today-20190629

A12 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 29 June 2019

US sanctions Maduro’s son as it raises pressure on Venezuela

By JOSHUA GOODMAN approach to the children
Associated Press of businessmen close to
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) Russian President Vladimir
— The Trump administra- Putin — so-called second
tion on Friday announced generation oligarchs — as
sanctions on the son of well the kin of leaders from
Venezuelan President Nico- the designated terrorist
las Maduro in a move to group Hezbollah.
increase pressure on fam- Maduro Jr., who closely
ily members of top officials resembles his father and
backing the socialist leader is known almost univer-
and suspected of corrup- sally as “Nicolasito” — or
tion. “Little Nicolas” — is also a
The action by the U.S. Trea- leader in the ruling social-
sury Department freezes ist party’s youth wing and
any U.S. assets belonging previously was coordinator
to Nicolas Maduro Jr. and of the government-run film
prohibits American from school, despite having no
doing business with him. known previous experience
“Maduro’s regime was built in cinema.
on fraudulent elections, According to the U.S. Trea-
and his inner circle lives in sury Department, Maduro
luxury off the proceeds of Jr. has also been involved
corruption while the Vene- In this April 13, 2018 file photo, Nicolas Maduro Jr., center, accompanies his father, Venezuela’s in propaganda and cen-
zuelan people suffer,” said President Nicolas Maduro in a military parade, in Caracas, Venezuela. sorship effort and has profit-
Treasury Secretary Steven Associated Press ed from Venezuelan mines
Mnuchin. “Maduro relies career took off shortly after President Donald J. Trump’s on corruption by the so- along with Maduro and
on his son Nicolasito and his father was elected pres- threat of military force to cialist leader’s top allies. To Flores. Treasury also alleges
others close to his authori- ident in 2013 and he was remove his father from date, the Trump administra- that he helped devise a
tarian regime to maintain a named to lead a newly power. “The rifles would ar- tion has sanctioned more strategy this year to pres-
stranglehold on the econo- created corps of inspectors rive to New York, Mr. Trump. than 100 top government sure Venezuela’s military
my and suppress the peo- of the presidency, fueling We would arrive and take officials and other insiders to deny humanitarian aid
ple of Venezuela. Treasury allegations of nepotism. the White House,” he said. accused of corruption, hu- from entering the country
will continue to target com- He’s also a member of the His sanctioning marks the man rights violations and by characterizing it as an
plicit relatives of illegitimate constitutional assembly, a start of a new strategy tar- drug trafficking, including attempt to undermine de-
regime insiders profiting off rubber-stamping rival of geting family members of Maduro himself and his mocracy. He also alleg-
of Maduro’s corruption.” the opposition-controlled insiders. wife, Cilia Flores. edly worked to increase
Until recently, the 29-year- congress charged with re- A senior U.S. administration The official spoke on con- censorship of Venezuela’s
old Maduro Jr. kept a low writing the nation’s char- official said the Trump ad- dition of anonymity due telecommunications infra-
profile as a little-known ter. In 2017, he delivered ministration is considering to lack of authorization to structure, framing the cen-
flutist in Venezuela’s world- a fiery speech from the as- expanding actions against discuss the matter on the sorship as necessary be-
famous network of youth sembly vowing to storm the family members of Maduro record. The Trump adminis- cause of U.S. Government
orchestras. But his political White House in response to officials as part of its focus tration has pursued a similar activities.q

South American bloc strikes long-sought Europe trade deal

By LUIS ANDRES HENAO mean the integration of a trade deals on behalf of
LORNE COOK market of some 800 million the 28-nation EU, said the
Associated Press people, nearly a fourth of agreement is particularly
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina the world’s gross domestic important for industrial sec-
(AP) — South America’s product and more than tors like cars and car parts,
Mercosur trade bloc struck $100 billion in bilateral trade machinery, chemicals,
a “strategic association” of goods and services.” pharmaceuticals as well as
trade deal with the Euro- The ministry said the deal clothing and footwear.
pean Union on Friday af- also is aimed at strength- The deal still must be rati-
ter two decades of nego- ening political and cultural fied by the legislatures of all
tiations, the two sides an- ties with the EU, improving the countries involved.
nounced. The agreement access to goods, services The agreement brings to 15
clinched in the Belgian and investments by reduc- the number of pacts the EU
capital of Brussels is “an ing restrictions and easing has concluded since 2014,
ambitious, balanced and access to technology and most recently with Canada
comprehensive agree- In this July 14, 2017 file photo, Argentina’s Foreign Minister Jorge raw materials. and Japan, and comes
ment” that sends a strong Faurie attends a meeting at the Itamaraty Palace, in Brasilia, Juncker said the deal as the bloc pushes ahead
positive signal amid global Brazil. would remove most tariffs with international trade
trade tensions, according Associated Press on EU exports to Mercosur, deals. It is determined to
to an EU statement.. and Uruguay, reached ex- sending today a strong sig- saving more than 4 billion remain a flag-bearer of the
European Commission Pres- actly 20 years after talks nal with our Mercosur part- euros ($4.5 billion) worth global rules-based system
ident Jean-Claude Juncker were launched as “a his- ners that we stand for rules- of duties each year, four at a time when that system
described the pact with torical moment.” based trade,” Juncker said. times as much as Europe’s is being challenged by a
the group made up of Ar- “In the midst of internation- Argentina’s Foreign Ministry pact with Japan. The com- Trump administration skep-
gentina, Brazil, Paraguay al trade tensions, we are said the agreement “will mission, which negotiates tical of free trade. q