Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 21 May 2019
Mexico calls for regional development to address immigration

By CHRISTOPHER SHERMAN Northern Triangle govern-
MEXICO CITY (AP) — A U.N. ments need to up their so-
commission on Monday cial spending, create an
presented a roadmap to environment for economic
boost economic devel- development, invest in the
opment in three Central energy sector and improve
American nations whose logistics, Bárcela said. They
poverty and violence now need to provide security
pushes desperate migrants for their people, better ad-
to travel across Mexico to dress natural disasters am-
the United States. plified by climate change
The plan calls for hefty in- and integrate their econo-
creases in social spending, mies.
tackling corruption and im- Mexico foreign minister
proving security — as well Marcelo Ebrard estimated
as a hefty dose of financial the plan would require $10
support and investment, billion in annual investment
possibly from the United over a decade.
States. There are many obstacles,
Mexico President Andrés and many of the goals
Manuel López Obrador echo previous propos-
said the plan laid out by In this April 23, 2019 file photo, Central American migrants ride a freight train on their way to the als to develop the region.
the United Nations' Eco- U.S.-Mexico border, in Ixtepec, Oaxaca state, Mexico. Creating an environment
nomic Commission for Latin Associated Press to attract international in-
America and the Carib- vestment requires tackling
bean (ECLAC) was the violence." cember. the U.S., propel hundreds of corruption. While López
United States' best option The U.N.'s regional eco- The diagnosis was that a thousands of people north. Obrador has made that a
for stemming the flow of im- nomic arm developed the lack of economic growth, "We're not going to stop it priority of his young govern-
migrants. plan after López Obrador staggering inequality, swol- at the end of the day, but ment, Guatemalan officials
"It goes to the root of the announced the idea of de- len cities and ignored ru- we can certainly change are expelling a U.N. anti-
problem," López Obrador veloping southern Mexico ral areas, combined with the nature," said Alicia Bár- corruption mission that has
said. "People migrate out of together with Guatemala, droughts, floods, oppres- cela, executive secretary successfully helped prose-
necessity, for a lack of job Honduras and El Salvador sive violence and the possi- of ECLAC. cute some of the country's
opportunities or because of upon taking office in De- bility of much higher pay in To do so, Mexico and the most powerful figures.q

Despite upheaval, Venezuela's Maduro touts an anniversary

By CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA ezuela in a bid to unseat
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) Maduro, compounding the
— Venezuelan President problems of the country's
Nicolás Maduro on Mon- deteriorating oil industry.
day celebrated the anni- Maduro says Guaidó is a
versary of his disputed re- pawn in a U.S. coup plot.
election amid a growing Also Monday, Carlos Vec-
humanitarian crisis and po- chio, a government oppo-
litical upheaval. nent who the U.S. recogniz-
Maduro tweeted that the es as Venezuela's ambas-
May 20, 2018, election, was sador, met with Pentagon
a "victory" for Venezuelans, officials at the request of
though the opposition and Guaidó. The U.S. has insist-
many countries have de- ed "all options" are on the
rided it as unfair. table for dealing with Ven-
In a speech at a govern- ezuela's crisis and Guaidó
ment-organized rally, Mad- in recent weeks has pub-
uro said he is prepared to licly speculated about the
face the opposition in leg- idea of requesting foreign
islative elections, though military assistance to help
he has made similar chal- rid Venezuela of Maduro.
lenges in the past while dis- Even so, the U.S. says it is
missing allegations that his focusing on diplomatic
re-election was fixed. Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro gestures a heart symbol to supporters outside Miraflores and economic pressure on
He referred to a recent ef- presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, May 20, 2109. Maduro, and there are no
fort by Norway to mediate Associated Press indications of any military
between Venezuela's op- buildup. Maduro's re-elec-
posing factions and said he al?" Maduro said of his Meanwhile, members of a congress, headed by Juan tion to a second six-year
favored dialogue, though election offer to the oppo- loyalist assembly assigned Guaidó, that says Maduro term lies at the heart of
critics accuse him of using sition, which is demanding by Maduro to write a new has steered Venezuela to- Venezuela's political stand-
past negotiations to play that he step down to make constitution decided to ex- ward authoritarian rule and off, in which Guaidó has
for time. way for a transitional gov- tend their work until the end ruined the economy. sought unsuccessfully to
"Why don't they respond ernment before elections of 2020. The assembly rivals The United States has im- get the military command
when I make this propos- can be held. the opposition-controlled posed sanctions on Ven- to support him.q