Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 9 May 2017

Venezuela’s ex-spy chief promotes possible presidential bid

By JOSHUA GOODMAN fear that both sides have unrest and hundreds more
Associated Press used is causing great dam- have been injured.
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) age to the country,” Ro- Rodriguez Torres said he
— A former spy chief un- driguez Torres told The As- sees little point in the street
der the late leader Hugo sociated Press. “We have protests. “In a crisis as deep
Chavez is emerging as a to think in the country’s as the one we’re facing
political player in turbu- interests first and not con- the solution isn’t burning
lent Venezuela, mistrusted tinue to see each other as more things because the
by the opposition and de- enemies.” economy keeps falling,”
spised by the government Pollsters haven’t included he said.
as he travels the country in Rodriguez Torres in their Not that he would be wel-
a possible bid for the presi- surveys yet, but his criticism comed at the protests. De-
dency. of Maduro hasn’t gone un- spite attempts to present
Miguel Rodriguez Torres is a noticed. High-ranking offi- himself as a kinder, gentler
longshot who hopes to of- cials in recent weeks have Chavista, many political
fer a third way for Venezu- accused him of treason opponents accuse him of
elans weary of the coun- or playing into the opposi- violating human rights for
try’s violence and eco- tion’s hands. His aides say arresting dozens of pro-
nomic woes. Venezuelan media are testers as interior minister.
Reviled among President under pressure not to inter- A pallbearer at Chavez’s
Nicolas Maduro’s oppo- view him and social media 2013 funeral, he is also the
nents for leading a crack- is filled with speculation he creator of the feared Sebin
down on anti-government could be jailed for speak- intelligence agency known
protesters in 2014, Rodri- ing out like other once loy- for rounding up activists.
guez Torres has also alien- al military bigwigs. Others trying to occupy
ated government loyalists “There’s no third way or Venezuela’s almost invis-
with his sharp criticism of bridges of reconciliation ible middle ground include
the socialist administration. with FASCISM,” Vice Presi- another Chavez army aco-
But he nevertheless is find- In this April 26, 2017 photo, former Venezuelan Interior Minister dent Tareck El Aissami said lyte, Lara state Gov. Henri
ing an audience among Miguel Rodriguez Torres poses for a photo during an interview in a recent barrage of Falcon, and chief pros-
Venezuelans who have at his office in Caracas, Venezuela. The 53-year-old Rodriguez tweets directed at Rodri- ecutor Luisa Ortega, who
abandoned support for a Torres blamed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro for de- guez Torres, a former ally. shocked the nation by
government that has failed stroying Venezuela’s oil-rich economy, failing to rein in violence A block from where Ro- saying constitutional order
to resolve the economic from pro-government militias and silencing critics. He said he is driguez Torres spoke with had been violated when
wary of the street protests launched by the president’s foes and
crisis but still distrust the op- instead preaches a message of reconciliation grounded in his the AP, several hundred the Supreme Court briefly
position. evangelical Christian faith. protesters squared off with gutted the opposition-con-
In a recent interview, the (APPhoto/Joshua Goodman) riot police in a display of trolled congress of its pow-
53-year-old Rodriguez Tor- government militias and preaches a message of the near-daily chaos that ers a few weeks ago.
res blamed Maduro for silencing critics. He said he reconciliation grounded has engulfed Venezuela’s “Strategically, there’s a fer-
destroying Venezuela’s is wary of the street pro- in his evangelical Christian capital the past month. tile playing field for mod-
oil-rich economy, failing to tests launched by the pres- faith. More than three dozen erate Chavismo,” political
rein in violence from pro- ident’s foes and instead “The rhetoric of hatred and people have died in the analyst Luis Vicente Leon
said.
Brazil: Rodriguez Torres’ close

Manaus declares emergency over Venezuelan migrants ties to Chavismo’s military
wing are what distinguish
him from a growing cadre
By MAURICIO SAVARESE to allow spending of emer- protests. will help them. We want to of administration critics on
Associated Press gency funds. Most of the Venezuelans include them in our social the left. While outwardly
BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — The Neto said at least 355 Ven- are camping in down- programs, too, but since loyal to Maduro, many in
mayor of the Amazonia ezuelans, mostly members town Manaus, at the city’s they are foreign Indians the armed forces are be-
city of Manaus announced of the Warao indigenous bus terminal and near key we really need support,” lieved to be unhappy with
Monday that he is taking group in Venezuela, had streets. Emanuel said in a state- the government but fearful
emergency measures to set up camps in the city of According to municipal ment. that if the opposition takes
deal with a sudden influx 2 million people in northern secretary Elias Emanuel, Neto said Manaus is offer- power they’ll lose privi-
of people from Venezuela, Brazil. the Venezuelans arrived ing to bus the Venezuelans leges and influence accu-
which has been rocked by City hall said later that they seeking jobs in the city’s in- back to their homeland, mulated during 17 years of
political and economic tur- had come looking for jobs dustrial complex, but they which is about 430 miles socialist rule.
moil. as Venezuela struggles with lack documents to be em- (700 kilometers) to the
Mayor Arthur Neto issued a shortages of food and oth- ployed. Continued on page 27
social emergency decree er goods as well as political “Now our Federal Police north.q