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"Tourism has been on the slow burner for decades in the Darien," said longtime Panamanian tour guide Rick Morales. Tourists and migrants rarely meet face to face; the routes are almost always separated by dozens of miles. Reuters GraphicsTrip advertising does not mention the humanitarian crisis. At the same time, it acknowledged a "catastrophic humanitarian crisis" in a separate part of the Darien due to migration. Travel Darien Panama is an Indigenous-owned tour operator that says on its website it aims to help fund schools and improve living conditions in their village.

Persons: Franca Ramirez, Ramirez, Rick Morales, Marco Wanske, Kisbel Garcia, Alejandra Peña, Luis Eguiluz, Lorri Krebs, Mark Fischer, Morales, Carmelita Cansari, Nina Van Maris, Van Maris, Daina Beth Solomon, Laura Gottesdiener, Elida Moreno, Stephen Eisenhammer, Claudia Parsons Organizations: MEXICO CITY, Pan, Organization for Migration, Reuters, Tourists, Reuters Graphics, Adventure Travel Trade Association . Social, REUTERS, UNESCO, Salem State University, Tourism Ministry, U.S ., U.S, U.S . State Department, Big, Maria, Thomson Locations: MEXICO, Panamanian, Venezuela, Darien, Panama, Americas, United States, Mexico, Alaska, Argentina, Afghanistan, Africa, U.S, selfies, Ecuador, Haiti, Acandi, Colombia, Central America, Salem , Massachusetts, Greece, Texas, Travel Darien Panama, Luxembourg, Mexico City, Monterrey, Panama City, Maria Laguna

REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman/File PhotoHOUSTON, July 21 (Reuters) - A U.S. court set Oct. 23 as the start date for a long-expected auction of shares in Venezuela-owned refiner Citgo Petroleum's parent to pay creditors with judgments against the South American nation. U.S. Judge Leonard Stark in Delaware this week accepted a recommendation by a court official in charge of organizing the auction. Proceeds from any sale of PDV Holding shares would be used to pay off creditors previously cleared by the court. Any sale of Citgo without the participation of Venezuela would be "hurtful," Pedro Tellechea, Venezuela's oil minister, said on Friday. "It's not a PDVSA asset.

Persons: Jonathan Bachman, Judge Leonard Stark, PDV, Pedro Tellechea, Horacio Medina, Stark, Venezuela's, Hugo Chavez, PDVSA, Marianna Parraga, Gary McWilliams, Richard Chang, Grant McCool Organizations: Citgo Petroleum, REUTERS, South, Petróleos, PDV, U.S . Treasury Department, PDVSA, Crystallex, ConocoPhillips, Siemens Energy, Tree Investments, Inc, Huntington Ingalls Industries, ACL1 Investments, Rusoro, Koch Industries, Thomson Locations: U.S, Stowell , Texas, Venezuela, South American, PDV, Delaware

CARACAS, July 21 (Reuters) - Venezuelan expects to sign licenses by year-end for developing the nation's vast natural gas reserves, oil minister Pedro Tellechea said on Friday, even amid U.S. sanctions. Most of the South American country's gas reserves remain undeveloped after decades of insufficient investment, contract changes and - in recent years - U.S. sanctions to oust President Nicolas Maduro. But new officials running the oil ministry and PDVSA want to encourage new investment and unfreeze projects. Oil major Shell Plc (SHEL.L), which produces in Trinidad, could operate the Dragon gas field in Venezuela if Maduro's government extends it a license, Trinidad officials have said. Venezuela is producing 831,000 barrels of crude per day (bpd) this month and expects to increase to 1 million bpd by year-end.

Persons: Pedro Tellechea, Nicolas Maduro, Tellechea, Spain's, Maurel, Deisy Buitrago, Mayela Armas, Vivian Sequera, Marianna Parraga, Alison Williams Organizations: Eni, Shell, Thomson Locations: CARACAS, Caracas, United States, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Trinidad, China

CARACAS, July 21 (Reuters) - Venezuela is not willing to halt productive operations during contract audits that have led to the arrest of businessmen and officials, and to disputes with customers and partners of state company PDVSA, the country's oil minister said on Friday. Earlier this year, contracts with some crude oil buyers were also temporarily suspended while PDVSA reviewed billions of dollars of late payments and pending invoices. "Our goal is to explore, produce, refine and export every product we can," Oil Minister Pedro Tellechea told journalists on the sidelines of a conference in Caracas. Investigations related to the review of unpaid bills have been transferred to the office of Venezuela's General Attorney, Tellechea said. Tellechea also said the country does not currently have suspended contracts, but did not elaborate on the status of exports.

Persons: Wilmer Ruperti, Pedro Tellechea, Tellechea, Maroil, PDVSA, Deisy Buitrago, Mayela Armas, Vivian Sequera, Marianna Parraga, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Oil, Investigations, Reuters, Thomson Locations: CARACAS, Venezuela, PDVSA, Geneva, Caracas, France, China

☆ Venezuela's ex-spymaster pleads not guilty to US drug trafficking charges
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Luc Cohen | Thomson Reuters | Reports On The New York Federal Courts. Previously Worked As A Correspondent In Venezuela | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Hugo Carvajal, 63, arrived in the United states on Wednesday after being extradited from Spain. "General Carvajal looks forward to fighting these outrageous charges in court before an unbiased American jury," Margulis-Ohnuma told reporters after the hearing. The drugs were ultimately bound for the United States, according to prosecutors. Dozens of Venezuelan military leaders, politicians and businessmen have been charged by the United States with corruption and drug trafficking. He was arrested in Spain on the U.S. drug charges later that year, but went into hiding after a court initially approved his extradition.

Persons: Hugo Carvajal, Judge Stewart Aaron, Zachary Margulis, Ohnuma, Carvajal, General Carvajal, Hugo Chavez's, El, Chavez, Nicolas Maduro, Maduro, Luc Cohen, Daniel Wallis Organizations: YORK, Department of Justice, U.S, American, U.S . State Department, Washington, Thomson Locations: United, Spain, Manhattan, Mexico, Venezuela, United States, Washington, Caracas, Aruba, Netherlands, Maduro, New York

☆ Ex-Venezuelan Spy Chief Extradited to U.S. on Drug Charges After Long Manhunt
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Kejal Vyas | Juan Forero | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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Persons: Dow Jones

A negotiating team representing the South American country has held settlement talks with some of those creditors and holders of defaulted PDVSA bonds. The U.S. has shielded Houston-based Citgo from creditors since the company in 2019 severed ties with its ultimate parent, Venezuela's state oil firm Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA.UL), which is controlled by President Nicolas Maduro. Horacio Medina, chief of the board that supervises Citgo, did not immediately reply to a request for comment. A sales process for Citgo shares that could begin as soon as September is under consideration by a U.S. judge in Delaware. Venezuela this month lost a separate appeal trying to block new creditors from attaching to the Delaware case.

Persons: Nicolas Maduro, Horacio Medina, Citgo, PDVSA's, PDVSA, Katherine Polk Failla, Marianna Parraga, Gary McWilliams, Matthew Lewis Organizations: U.S . Treasury Department, Treasury, Crystallex International, ConocoPhillips, Siemens Energy, Tree Investments, U.S, Huntington Ingalls Industries, ACL1 Investments, Rusoro, Koch Industries, New, Thomson Locations: Venezuela, Petroleum, U.S, Houston, Petroleos, Delaware, New York, Manhattan

☆ Venezuela ex-spymaster arrives in US to face drug charges after extradition
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Luc Cohen | Thomson Reuters | Reports On The New York Federal Courts. Previously Worked As A Correspondent In Venezuela | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MADRID/NEW YORK, July 19 (Reuters) - The former head of Venezuela's military intelligence, Hugo Carvajal, arrived in the United States on Wednesday to face drug trafficking charge after being extradited from Spain, his lawyer said. Carvajal is expected to make an initial appearance in Manhattan federal court on Thursday morning, said his lawyer, Zachary Margulis-Ohnuma. Prosecutors say Carvajal in 2006 coordinated the shipment of 5,600 kg (1,235 pounds) of U.S.-bound cocaine to Mexico from Venezuela. Carvajal is also wanted in Venezuela on charges including treason and financing terrorism. "I hope the United States ... delivers to Venezuela a criminal like Hugo Carvajal," Jorge Rodriguez, the president of Venezuela's Maduro-aligned legislature, told reporters on Wednesday.

Persons: Hugo Carvajal, Carvajal, Zachary Margulis, El, Hugo Chavez's, Nicolas Maduro, Chavez, Maduro, Jorge Rodriguez, Venezuela's, Emma Pinedo, Luc Cohen, Deisy Buitrago, William Maclean, Mike Harrison, Daniel Wallis Organizations: MADRID, of Human, U.S, Washington, Thomson Locations: United States, Spain, Manhattan, Madrid, The U.S, Mexico, Venezuela, New York, Caracas

CARACAS, July 17 (Reuters) - The families of Venezuelan migrants lost in the Caribbean sea are demanding their government investigate the disappearance of their loved ones after years of stasis. In Aruba, migrants must scale rocky outcrops of up to four meters high and many fail, drowning as a result they said, though bodies have not been found. There are no investigations in Aruba or Curacao into the whereabouts of Venezuelan migrants missing during sea crossings, an official with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. "We went to Caracas to look for answers," said Ana Arias, a 43-year-old housewife whose daughter Luisannys Betancourt went missing on a boat journey in April 2019. Reporting by Vivian Sequera in Caracas, Tibisay Romero in Valencia and Mircely Guanipa in Maracay Writing by Oliver GriffinOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jhonny Romero, Romero, Jhonny de Jesus, Shalick Clement, Ana Arias, Luisannys Betancourt, Luisannys, Carolina Bastardo, Ana Maria, We've, Vivian Sequera, Tibisay Romero, Mircely, Oliver Griffin Organizations: United Nations, International Organization for Migration, UN, Reuters, Boat, Caribbean Coast Guard, Thomson Locations: CARACAS, Venezuela's, Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Curacao, Caracas, Africa, Europe, Colombia, Panama, Venezuelan, Grenada, Valencia

☆ U.S. probing Exxon contractor in Guyana for smuggling drugs, gold
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Now, U.S. officials are considering imposing sanctions on the Mohameds, according to four of the sources and two additional people familiar with the matter. The construction of the shore base is part of Exxon’s efforts to expand oil production off Guyana’s coast. The companies plan to expand output to 1.2 million bpd by 2027, a massive haul that would make Guyana’s production higher than what many OPEC nations, including neighboring Venezuela, produce today. Guyana is Exxon’s top bet for global oil production growth outside of the United States. Neither Hess nor CNOOC responded to requests for comment on the investigations into the Mohameds or the government’s meetings with Exxon.

Persons: Nazar Mohamed, Washington, Mohamed, Irfaan Ali, ”, ” Nazar Mohamed, Azruddin Mohamed, “, Alistair Routledge, Hess, CNOOC Organizations: Guyana U.S, Exxon Mobil, Reuters, Exxon, Mohamed’s Enterprise, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security, Russian, FBI, DEA, Homeland Security, U.S, Routledge, The U.S, China National Offshore Oil Corporation Locations: GEORGETOWN, Guyana, U.S, The Texas, Venezuela, United States, Europe, Georgetown, China

☆ European court denies effort by Venezuela ex-official to avoid US extradition
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

CARACAS, July 13 (Reuters) - The European Court of Human Rights has denied an effort by a former director of Venezuelan military intelligence, wanted on drug trafficking charges by the United States, to avoid extradition from Spain. Carvajal was arrested in September 2021 at a Madrid apartment by Spanish police and is being held in Estremera, outside of the capital. He has denied supporting cocaine trafficking to the United States. "In any event, General Carvajal is looking forward to clearing his name in an American court," Margulis-Ohnuma added. Reporting by Luc Cohen and Vivian Sequera; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Conor Humphries and Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Hugo Carvajal, Hugo Chavez's, Nicolas Maduro, Carvajal, Mr Carvajal Barrios, Zachary Margulis, General Carvajal, Luc Cohen, Vivian Sequera, Julia Symmes Cobb, Conor Humphries, Sandra Maler Organizations: European, of Human Rights, Thomson Locations: CARACAS, United States, Spain, Madrid, Estremera, Aruba

☆ Arizona man targeted by January 6 conspiracy theorists sues Fox News for defamation
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Ray Epps, the Arizona man that conspiracy theorists falsely claim led an FBI plot to orchestrate the January 6 insurrection, filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against Fox News, accusing the right-wing channel and former host Tucker Carlson of defamation. “Eventually, they turned on one of their own.”Spokespeople for Fox News did not immediately return a request for comment. “As Fox recently learned in its litigation against Dominion Voting Systems, its lies have consequences,” the lawsuit added. In that same month, Fox News also settled an election-related lawsuit with a Venezuelan businessman who had also sued the network for defamation. Fox is also facing another major defamation lawsuit from voting technology company Smartmatic, which is suing the network for $2.7 billion.

Persons: New York CNN — Ray Epps, Tucker Carlson, “, Donald Trump, ” Spokespeople, Carlson, Epps, baselessly, Epps ’, ”, Carlson’s, Trump, Abby Grossberg, Fox Organizations: New, New York CNN, FBI, Wednesday, Fox News, Republican Party, Capitol, Fox, Dominion Voting Systems, Trump Locations: New York, Arizona, untangle, Venezuelan

☆ Former Fox executives say they regret helping Rupert Murdoch birth ‘disinformation machine’
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Three former high-ranking Fox executives are blasting Rupert Murdoch for Fox News’ role spreading disinformation in the public discourse. In a joint statement published Wednesday, the executives — Preston Padden, Ken Solomon, and Bill Reyner — expressed profound regret for their roles helping Murdoch build Fox in its early days. It’s only the latest lawsuit Fox News has faced for advancing false election conspiracy theories after Donald Trump was defeated at the ballot box in 2020. In that same month, Fox News also settled an election-related lawsuit with a Venezuelan businessman who had sued the network. Fox News is also facing another major defamation lawsuit from voting technology company Smartmatic, which is suing the network for $2.7 billion.

Persons: Rupert Murdoch, — Preston Padden, Ken Solomon, Bill Reyner —, Murdoch, Padden, Solomon, Reyner, “, ” “, Fox, ” Padden, —, Ray Epps, Tucker Carlson, It’s, Donald Trump, Abby Grossberg, ”, Epps Organizations: CNN, Fox, Fox News, Federal Communications Commission, Murdoch’s Fox News, FBI, Dominion Voting Systems, Capitol Locations: Washington, Arizona, Venezuelan

☆ The 21 new cardinals named by Pope Francis on Sunday
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

VATICAN CITY, July 9 (Reuters) - Pope Francis announced on Sunday that he would induct 21 churchmen to the high rank of cardinal in September. The following are set to become cardinals:Cardinal Electors under 801 - Archbishop Robert Prevost, American, Vatican official, head of the Dicastery for Bishops2 - Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, Italian, Vatican official, head of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches3 - Archbishop Víctor Fernández, Argentine, Vatican official, head of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith4 - Archbishop Emil Tscherrig, Swiss, Vatican ambassador to Italy5 - Archbishop Christophe Pierre, French, Vatican ambassador to the United States6 - Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Italian, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem7 - Archbishop Stephen Brislin, South African, Archbishop of Cape Town8 - Archbishop Ángel Rossi, Argentine, Archbishop of Córdoba9 - Archbishop Luis Aparicio, Colombian, Archbishop of Bogotá10 - Archbishop Grzegorz Ryś, Polish, Archbishop of Lodz11 - Archbishop Stephen Mulla, Sudanese, Archbishop of Juba, South Sudan12 - Archbishop José Cano, Spanish, Archbishop of Madrid13 - Archbishop Protase Rugambwa, Tanzanian, Archbishop of Tabora14 - Bishop Sebastian Francis, Malaysian, Bishop of Penang15 - Bishop Stephen Chow Sau-Yan, Bishop of Hong Kong16 - Archbishop François-Xavier Bustillo, Spanish-French, Bishop of Ajaccio, Corsica. 17 - Bishop Américo Alves Aguiar, Portuguese, Auxiliary Bishop of Lisbon18 - Father Ángel Fernández Artime, Spanish, head of the Salesian orderOver 80 and not eligible to enter a conclave19 - Archbishop Agostino Marchetto, Italian, former Vatican diplomat20 - Archbishop Diego Padrón Sánchez, Venezuelan, Archbishop Emeritus of Cumaná. 21- Father Luis Dri, Argentine priestReporting by Philip Pulella and Federico Maccioni; Editing by Alexander SmithOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Pope Francis, Cardinal, Robert Prevost, Claudio Gugerotti, Víctor Fernández, Emil Tscherrig, Christophe Pierre, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Stephen Brislin, Ángel Rossi, Luis Aparicio, Grzegorz Ryś, Stephen Mulla, of, José Cano, Protase Rugambwa, Bishop Sebastian Francis, Bishop Stephen Chow Sau, Bishop, François, Xavier Bustillo, Bishop of, Bishop Américo Alves Aguiar, Ángel Fernández, Agostino Marchetto, Diego Padrón Sánchez, Luis Dri, Philip Pulella, Federico Maccioni, Alexander Smith Organizations: CITY, Cardinal Electors, Vatican, Bishops, Cape, Argentine, Salesian, Cumaná, Thomson Locations: Argentine, Italy, Vatican, United States, Jerusalem, South, Córdoba, Bogotá, Lodz, of Juba, South Sudan, Madrid, Tabora, Bishop, Penang, Hong Kong, Spanish, Bishop of Ajaccio, Corsica, Portuguese, Lisbon

Several countries, including Venezuela, Argentina and Sudan have been saddled with skyrocketing costs for decades. In advanced economies overall, inflation averaged 2.4% since the 1990s – the earliest aggregate data the IMF has available. In 2022, Venezuelan inflation was still 310%, the highest in the world that year. “Because everything will be more expensive tomorrow, people spend their money as they receive it, increasing the inflation,” Anselmi told CNN. Using US currency for transactions is common in Venezuela, as people don’t trust the volatile local currency, according to Guevara.

Persons: Z, Bolivar, bolivars, Andrés Guevara, bolivar, ”, “, Nelson Sánchez, Sanchez, Emiliano Anselmi, Luis Robayo, ” Anselmi, Guevara, Gaby Oraa, Anselmi Organizations: CNN, Bureau of Labor Statistics, International Monetary Fund, IMF, Federal Reserve, European Union, Pensioners, Andrés Bello Catholic University, Getty, U.S Locations: United States, Venezuela, Argentina, Sudan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, US, Caracas, Buenos Aires, AFP, Venezuelan

HOUSTON/CARACAS, July 7 (Reuters) - Venezuela's opposition is crafting a proposal for the country to redirect about 200,000 barrels per day of its oil exports to a trustee to pay creditors with claims on the nation's foreign assets. A negotiation team representing Venezuela in late 2022 began formal talks with some creditors, including miner Crystallex and oil producer ConocoPhillips (COP.N), to avoid the loss of Citgo. A license by the U.S. Treasury Department would be required and Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA would not have access to cash flow from those exports, Medina said. One of the opposition's arguments is that PDVSA is currently forced by U.S. sanctions to sell its oil in Asia at deep discounts. Energy analysts estimate the U.S. Gulf Coast has more room for processing Venezuela's heavy sour crude grades.

Persons: Horacio Medina, Nicolas Maduro, Medina, PDVSA, refiners Citgo, Marianna Parraga, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: HOUSTON, Petroleum, ConocoPhillips, United Nations, Maduro, U.S . Treasury Department, Valero Energy, PBF Energy, Treasury Department, Chevron Corp, PDVSA, Chevron, . Energy, Gulf, Thomson Locations: CARACAS, Venezuela, Venezuelan, United States, China, Houston, Washington, American, Asia, Chevron, Caracas

REUTERS/Daniel Becerril/File PhotoWASHINGTON/MEXICO CITY, July 2 (Reuters) - U.S. and Mexican officials are discussing a new U.S. refugee program for some non-Mexican asylum seekers waiting in Mexico, four sources said, part of President Joe Biden's attempts to create more legal avenues for migration. The program would likely be open to Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan and Venezuelan refugees in Mexico, the sources said. Under another Biden program, Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans can request to enter the U.S. by air if they have U.S. sponsors. The initiative under discussion would be a "Priority Two" refugee program, the sources said, similar to one opened for Afghans in 2021. If the program encourages more migrants to enter Mexico, it could tax the country's already-strained resources for dealing with migrants, the official said.

Persons: Daniel Becerril, Joe Biden's, Biden, Alicia Barcena, Ted Hesson, Dave Graham, Daina Beth Solomon, Kristina Cooke, Mica Rosenberg, Mary Milliken, Grant McCool Organizations: REUTERS, MEXICO CITY, Haitian, Nicaraguan, U.S, Biden, BIDEN, United Nations, Thomson Locations: Venezuela, Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, WASHINGTON, MEXICO, U.S, Mexican, Cuban, Latin America, Caribbean, America, Washington, Mexico City, San Francisco

☆ Venezuela blasts U.S. for critique over barred opposition candidate
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

CARACAS, July 1 (Reuters) - Venezuela's government on Saturday said it rejected the U.S. stance around the South American country's upcoming elections, calling it "interference," a day after the U.S. criticized Venezuela's decision to disqualify an opposition candidate. Maria Corina Machado, one of the favorites to win the Venezuelan opposition's nomination for president in an October primary, has been barred from holding public office for 15 years. In response, the U.S. State Department said Venezuelans should be able to act freely in the 2024 presidential elections, and disqualifying Machado "deprives" them of political rights. The Washington-based Organization of American States also rejected the decision to bar Machado and called for free and transparent elections. Reporting by Deisy Buitrago; Writing by Daina Beth Solomon; Editing by Daniel WallisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Venezuela's, Maria Corina Machado, disqualifying Machado, deprives, Machado, Deisy Buitrago, Daina Beth Solomon, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Venezuelan, U.S . State Department, American, Thomson Locations: CARACAS, U.S, United States, Washington

HOUSTON, June 30 (Reuters) - Negotiators representing Venezuela have held settlement talks with bondholders and creditors owed billions of dollars from defaults and expropriation claims, the head of a board supervising the country's foreign oil assets told Reuters. The U.S. has for years shielded Citgo from seizure under a license that will expire next month if not renewed. Some $2.6 billion in court-approved claims from Crystallex International, ConocoPhillips (COP.N), Siemens Energy (ENR1n.DE) and Red Tree Investments could be applied to auction proceeds. "We have progressed with the bondholders and Crystallex since party representatives officially met for the first time late last year and in February, respectively. IN 'GOOD FAITH'A negotiation team representing Venezuela also has held talks with ConocoPhillips, but they have not swapped financial proposals, he said.

Persons: Horacio Medina, Medina, Ryan Lance, Citgo, Marianna Parraga, Gary McWilliams, David Evans Organizations: Reuters, Citgo Petroleum, Crystallex International, ConocoPhillips, Siemens Energy, Tree Investments, U.S . Treasury, U.S, Thomson Locations: Venezuela, U.S, New York, Delaware, Washington

Machado, a 55-year-old industrial engineer and former lawmaker, is leading polling for the 13-candidate primary, convened to select a unity candidate to face socialist President Nicolas Maduro in a 2024 election. A previous ban placed on her has been expanded because Machado supported sanctions by the United States on the Maduro government and backed former opposition leader Juan Guaido, the letter said. The ban does not affect Machado's ability to run in the primary because the opposition is holding it without state support. The opposition has said for years that bans are used by the ruling party to prevent political change. Machado's fellow primary candidate Henrique Capriles, who has twice run for president for the opposition, was barred from public office for 15 years in 2017.

Persons: Maria Corina Machado, Machado, Nicolas Maduro, Juan Guaido, Jose Brito, Maria Corina Machado Parisca, Brito, Henrique Capriles, Mayela Armas, Vivian Sequera, Julia Symmes Cobb, Daniel Wallis, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Venezuelan, American States, U.S, Thomson Locations: CARACAS, United States, Venezuela, Washington

CARACAS, June 30 (Reuters) - Ex-lawmaker Maria Corina Machado, a favorite to win the Venezuelan opposition's nomination for president in an October primary, is barred from holding public office for 15 years, the controller general said in a letter to a lawmaker. Machado, a 55-year-old industrial engineer, is leading polling for the 13-candidate primary, convened to select a unity candidate to face President Nicolas Maduro in a 2024 election. A previous ban placed on her has been extended because Machado supported sanctions by the United States on the Maduro government and backed former opposition leader Juan Guaido, the letter said. Machado's fellow primary candidate Henrique Capriles, who has twice run for president for the opposition, was barred from public office for 15 years in 2017. Reporting by Mayela Armas and Vivian Sequera; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Daniel WallisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Maria Corina Machado, Machado, Nicolas Maduro, Juan Guaido, Jose Brito, Maria Corina Machado Parisca, Brito, Henrique Capriles, Mayela Armas, Vivian Sequera, Julia Symmes Cobb, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Venezuelan, U.S, Thomson Locations: CARACAS, United States, Venezuela, American

[1/5] Volunteers give electrolyte drinks to asylum seekers while they camp near the border in an attempt to cross into the U.S. without an appointment, in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico June 27, 2023. "We are clear-eyed about the limits of our ability to control the security situation in any town outside of the United States," a senior CBP official told Reuters. When asked about the potential for continued extortion in Nuevo Laredo, the CBP official said migrants could apply for appointments elsewhere, and come to the city just for their appointments. But reaching Nuevo Laredo can pose its own risks. Three migrants told Reuters that men who appeared to be cartel members told them to stay orderly, but had not been extorting recently arrived migrants for money.

Persons: Daniel Becerril, Joe Biden's, Stephanie Leutert, Biden, Gerson Bravo, Jose, Daina Beth Solomon, Laura Gottesdiener, Stephen Eisenhammer, Aurora Ellis Organizations: Volunteers, REUTERS, U.S, Customs, Borders Protection, . Customs, Border Protection, CBP, University of Texas, Reuters, Nuevo Laredo, Thomson Locations: Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, Daniel Becerril NUEVO LAREDO, Mexico's Nuevo Laredo, United States, Laredo, Texas, U.S, Austin, Matamoros, Venezuela, Venezuelan, Michoacan, Mexico City

Roszarubezhneft's five joint ventures now must rely on PDVSA-designated intermediaries that take a large share of the revenues for their services, the people said. The joint ventures are owed about $3.2 billion from sales handled by PDVSA, one of the people said. Roszarubezhneft, Russia's oil ministry, PDVSA and Venezuela's oil and foreign affairs ministries did not reply to requests for comment. It also could help PDVSA make progress toward its goal of raising Venezuela's oil output by 40% this year. Oil production at the five joint ventures has dwindled as U.S. sanctions have hampered investment and maintenance work, and deterred many buyers of Venezuelan crude.

Persons: PDVSA's Jose Antonio, Carlos Garcia Rawlins, PDVSA, Rosneft, Nicolas Maduro's, Roszarubezhneft, Alexandra Ulmer, Marianna Parraga, Vivian Sequera, Daniel Flynn Organizations: REUTERS, Chevron, PDVSA, Reuters, Washington, U.S . Treasury, National Security, State Department, Nicolas Maduro's United Socialist Party, Assembly, Thomson Locations: PDVSA's, Anzoategui, Caracas, Moscow, Venezuela, U.S, Russia, Ukraine, Roszarubezhneft, Venezuela's, Rosneft

☆ Luis Arraez Is Chasing One of Baseball’s Sacred Feats and Sports Divinity
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Kurt Streeter | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Arraez, a Venezuelan who is 5 feet 10 inches, is chasing more than a match of Williams, who finished that ’41 season with a .406 average. In 1947, Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color line, which had been in place since the 19th century. No player has ever finished a season batting at or above .400 since Major League Baseball became an integrated game. Consider the ancient Greeks. And just as we are today, the ancient Greeks were obsessed with reputation.

Persons: Williams, Arraez, Jackie Robinson, Milo of, ”, David Lunt, “ Organizations: Major League Baseball, Southern Utah University Locations: Venezuelan, Athens, Milo of Croton

☆ Opinion: It wasn’t like this in Moscow in 1991
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Frida Ghitis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The short-lived rebellion prompted a furious reaction from his patron, Russian President Vladimir Putin, the usually cool modern-day czar. Long day covering a coup in Moscow on 1991, with @wolfblitzer and the legendary reporters Dick Blystone and Tom Mintier, with photographer Phil Turner. Our CNN Moscow bureau was teeming with action. In a famous image from August 1991, Russian President Boris Yeltsin rallies demonstrators against the coup plot against Mikhail Gorbachev. But even many of his opponents rejected the notion of a military coup.

Persons: Frida Ghitis, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, Vladimir Putin, Putin, ”, Isn’t Putin, Wolf Blitzer, Mikhail Gorbachev, Gorbachev, Dick Blystone, Tom Mintier, Phil Turner, that’s, Crews, Boris Yeltsin, Yeltsin, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, “, Erdogan, Hugo Chavez, Chavez, Nicolas Maduro, –, Prigozhin’s, Don —, Prigozhin, Russia’s, Facebook Prigozhin, I’ve Organizations: CNN, Washington Post, Politics, Wagner Group, Frida Ghitis CNN, AFP, Getty, Protesters, Putin, Twitter, Facebook, NATO Locations: Russia, Moscow, Russian, Soviet Union, Crimea, Long, CNN Moscow, Ukraine, Ankara, Turkish, Venezuelan, Venezuela, Rostov

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