DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The U.S. government and nearly 30 conservative world leaders on Saturday condemned the decision of Venezuela’s highest court to block the presidential candidacy of opposition leader María Corina Machado. “The United States is currently reviewing our Venezuela sanctions policy, based on this development and the recent political targeting of democratic opposition candidates and civil society,” U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement. Machado insisted throughout the campaign that she never received official notification of the ban and said voters, not ruling-party loyalists, were the rightful decision-makers of her candidacy. The ruling came more than three months after Maduro and the U.S.-backed opposition reached a deal to work on basic conditions for a fair election. The deal led Washington to ease some economic sanctions on Venezuela's oil, gas and mining sectors.

Persons: María Corina Machado, Biden, Nicolás Maduro, Matthew Miller, Machado, Miller, Justice “, Maduro, ” Gerardo Blyde, Emmanuel Macron, Luis Inácio Lula da Silva, Gustavo Petro —, Blyde, Maduro’s, Hector Rodríguez, ” Rodríguez, Machado “, Iván Duque, Mauricio Macri, Vicente Fox, Felipe Calderón, ” Organizations: Saturday, U.S . State Department, U.S, Justice, Democratic Initiative of Spain Locations: CARACAS, Venezuela, U.S, United States, Washington, Barbados, France, Brazil, Colombia, Americas, Venezuelan, Spain, Latin America, Iván Duque of Colombia, Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela's

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Dueling political factions took to the streets of Venezuela's capital on Tuesday for the first competing rallies of the presidential election year, showcasing their ability to draw people en masse, as voters grapple with political disappointments and uncertainty over the candidate who ultimately will challenge President Nicolás Maduro. Political Cartoons View All 253 Images“They talk about elections, but they are terrified of elections,” Machado said, referring to Maduro and his allies. Let them know clearly, no one takes us out of this electoral route.”Maduro and the opposition faction behind the primary agreed last year to hold a presidential election in the second half of 2024. His challenger's participation in the election remains in doubt even though she won the primary with more than 90% of support. “And not only her, any other candidate who has expressed their intention to participate in a presidential election must participate.”____Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Persons: Nicolás Maduro, María Corina Machado, Maduro, —, Hugo Chávez —, Machado, ” Machado, Tarek William Saab, Yeickson Ramos, Ramos, “ Will, ”, Maduro’s, Chavistas —, Chávez, Leonard Suarez, Suarez Organizations: American, Authorities, Digital Locations: CARACAS, Venezuela, Caracas, U.S, Guyana, America, Caribbean

☆ Listen now: Red Sea tensions and US pressure on Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A U.S. Navy destroyer shoots down three drones during an attack on commercial vessels in the Red Sea. The United States issues increasingly stark warnings to Israel as it expands its offensive in Gaza. Venezuelans vote in favour of President Nicolas Maduro’s claim over a large part of neighbouring Guyana. Plus, the latest on deadly, weekend attacks in Paris and the Philippines. Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement for information on our privacy and data protection practices.

Persons: Nicolas Maduro’s, Gazans, Khan Younis Organizations: Apple, Google, Reuters, U.S . Navy, United, Thomson, Paris Locations: U.S, Red, United States, Israel, Gaza, Guyana, South Korea, Paris, Philippines, israel, gaza, americas, guyana, paris

☆ A Venezuelan vote on an oil-rich region of Guyana raises concerns of a South American military conflict
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( David Shortell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The area in question, the densely forested Essequibo region, amounts to about two-thirds of Guyana’s national territory and is roughly the size of Florida. The recent discovery of vast offshore oil fields in the region has heightened the stakes of the dispute. Venezuelans in Caracas take part in a rally during the closing of the campaign for the Essequibo referendum, on December 1. It owns the congress of Guyana,” Maduro told supporters last week. Matias Delacroix/APOn Wednesday, Brazil announced that it was increasing its military presence with “defensive actions” along its northern border with Venezuela and Guyana.

Persons: Nicolas Maduro, Miguel Gutierrez, Shutterstock, Robert Persaud, Venezuela doesn’t, Matias Delacroix, ” Maduro, Maria Corina Machado, Maduro, ”, Phil Gunson, Irfaan Ali, Paul J, Angelo, Wazim Mowla, Adrienne Arsht, Vladmir Putin’s, Bharrat Jagdeo, “, ” Jagdeo, ” Gunson Organizations: CNN, Quarterly, Court of Justice, UN, International Court of Justice, ExxonMobil, AP, International Crisis, Venezuelan, Foreign Relations, Caribbean Initiative, Atlantic, America, Crisis Locations: Guyana, Essequibo, Florida, Venezuela, British, Venezuelan, Caracas, Ukraine, Guyanese, The Hague, Guyana's, Paris, Guiana, Georgetown, AP Venezuela, ”, Demerara, Brazil, Crimea, that’s

☆ US Threatening to Reimpose Venezuelan Sanctions if Commitments Not Kept
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

The Biden administration reiterated that it has told the Venezuelan government it must, by the end of November, lay out steps for lifting election bans on opposition candidates and begin releasing Venezuelan political prisoners and "wrongfully detained" Americans, the spokesperson said. If the U.S. deems Maduro's actions insufficient, it was not immediately clear how extensively or quickly it would roll back sanctions relief. "We haven’t seen any progress yet," White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters earlier on Thursday when asked whether Maduro was meeting his commitments and if the U.S. was prepared to reimpose sanctions. The Venezuelan government may allow appeals from banned politicians to progress in court as a way to partially comply with U.S. demands, sources told Reuters this week. The Venezuelan government released five political prisoners in October but there have been no releases since.

Persons: Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON, Nicolas Maduro, Joe Biden's, Biden, Antony Blinken, Maduro, November's, Jorge Rodriguez, John Kirby, Maria Corina Machado, Matt Spetalnick, Vivian Sequera, Chris Reese, Josie Kao Organizations: State Department, Venezuelan, The State Department, U.S, House Locations: U.S, Venezuela, Venezuelan, Washington, Caracas

But all Wright's family wants is for the 38-year-old businessman to be returned home. That position was reaffirmed Friday by the U.S. State Department in response to questions about Wright’s arrest. Some former Trump administration officials say Wright’s arrest is just the latest example of Maduro acting in bad faith. “He loved the nomadic lifestyle,” said Stewart, who didn't know her son was in Venezuela until she learned of his arrest. Wright’s family is speaking out because they feel the U.S. government hasn’t done enough to free him.

Persons: Biden, Savoi Wright’s, Nicolás, hasn’t, “, ”, Erin Stewart, Wright, Joe Biden, Maduro, Maria Corina Machado, Machado, Matthew Miller, Donald Trump's, Juan Guaidó, Kimberly Breier, Trump’s, Elliott Abrams, Maduro’s, Stewart, ” Stewart, Venezuela’s, Tarek William Saab didn’t, Luke Denman, Airan Berry —, — Eyvin Hernandez, Jerrel Kenemore, Joseph Cristella —, Moizeé Stewart, Wright’s, ” ___ Goodman, Tucker Organizations: U.S, Venezuelan, Associated Press, Oakland, U.S . State Department, Trump, Maduro, State Department, Loyola Marymount University, Green, FBI, U.S . Embassy, The State Department Locations: California, Venezuela, OPEC, Barbados, United States, Latin America, Washington, Colombia, Houston, Berkeley , California, Oakland, Miami, South America, U.S, Investigative@ap.org

☆ Opinion | I’ve Seen It: Maduro Could Lose Venezuela’s Presidential Election
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Roberto Patiño | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Despite encouraging participation in the primaries and advancements in negotiations, there is a pervasive narrative — both abroad and in Venezuela — that Mr. Maduro will inevitably hang on to power. In fact, the presidential election next year offers the best opportunity yet to defeat Chavismo, the socialist-inspired movement begun by Hugo Chávez that Mr. Maduro embraces, since it came to power over two decades ago. Since 2013, I have worked as a community organizer in marginalized neighborhoods, known as barrios in Venezuela, which used to be Chavismo’s strongholds. I worked with community leaders, most of whom were Chavistas when we started. The Maduro regime is aware of the risk it faces in the presidential election next year.

Persons: Maduro, Chavismo, Hugo Chávez, Chávez, Maduro’s Locations: Venezuela

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela’s chief prosecutor on Wednesday announced a criminal investigation into organizers of this past weekend's primary election that was meant to let voters choose an opposition candidate to run against President Nicolás Maduro next year. Attorney General Tarek William Saab told reporters the probe would look at allegations including that the independent National Primary Commission that organized Sunday's balloting was illegally usurping the duties of a government entity. The latest partial results released by the commission showed at least 2.3 million people within Venezuela and more than 132,000 outside the country voted Sunday. Machado, a former lawmaker, already has declared herself the winner after results showed her far ahead of nine other candidates. The partial results showed that with about 92% of tally sheets counted, Machado had 2,253,825 votes, or 92.35% of the total.

Persons: — Venezuela’s, Nicolás Maduro, Tarek William Saab, María Corina Machado, Saab, buffoonery, ” Saab, “, Machado Organizations: Wednesday, Commission, Saab, Electoral Council Locations: CARACAS, Venezuela

☆ Venezuelans in Primary Cast Ballots for Candidate to Challenge Maduro Regime
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Kejal Vyas | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A voter cast his ballot at a polling station in Caracas, Venezuela, on Sunday. Photo: Associated PressBOGOTÁ, Colombia—In polling stations from Venezuela to the U.S. to Europe, Venezuela’s opposition put on a primary election Sunday in which a conservative, pro-business engineer was expected to be chosen as the candidate to challenge authoritarian President Nicolás Maduro’s regime in next year’s presidential election. Maria Corina Machado held a commanding lead in polls, and her victory was foretold in a field of 10 candidates. But as of early Sunday night, it remained unclear if she would be permitted to run in the general election because Maduro’s government has barred her, as it has other prominent dissident politicians, from holding office.

Persons: Nicolás Maduro’s, Maria Corina Machado Locations: Caracas, Venezuela, Colombia, Europe

WASHINGTON (AP) — In response to Venezuela’s government and a faction of its opposition formally agreeing to work together to reach a series of basic conditions for the next presidential election, the U.S. agreed Wednesday to temporarily suspend some sanctions on the country's oil, gas and gold sectors. Tuesday's agreement between President Nicolás Maduro’s administration and the Unitary Platform came just days before the opposition holds a primary to pick its candidate for the 2024 presidential election. The ban on trading in the primary Venezuelan bond market remains in place, Treasury says. We stand with the Venezuelan people and support Venezuelan democracy,” he said. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. and the international community “will closely follow implementation of the electoral roadmap, and the U.S. government will take action if commitments under the electoral roadmap and with respect to political prisoners are not met.”

Persons: Nicolás, Minerven, Brian E, Nelson, ”, Antony Blinken Organizations: WASHINGTON, U.S . Treasury, U.S Locations: U.S, Treasury's, United States, Venezuela, Venezuelan

The United States had 3.5 million residents who identify as Middle Eastern or North African, Venezuelans were the fastest-growing Hispanic group last decade and Chinese and Asian Indians were the two largest Asian groups, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. MIDDLE EASTERN OR NORTH AFRICAN POPULATIONThe 2020 census was the first to allow respondents to identify themselves as coming from a Middle Eastern or North African country, otherwise known as MENA. ASIAN POPULATIONMore than 5.2 million people identified as Chinese, the largest group among respondents who were Asian alone or in combination with another group. The Nepalese population was the fastest growing Asian group, growing from almost 52,000 people in 2010 to almost 206,000 people in 2020. Some 1.9 million respondents who picked “some other race” identified as multiracial or multi-ethnic, and more than a half million said they were Brazilian.

Persons: Biden, ”, Maya Berry, it’s, Nicolás Maduro’s, Ernesto Ackerman, Mike Schneider Organizations: . Census, Bureau, Survey, Arab American Institute, Independent Venezuelan American Citizens, Puerto Ricans Locations: States, U.S, Jordanian, Moroccan, Washington, California, Michigan, New York, Venezuela, Miami, Puerto, American, U.S . New York, Texas

WASHINGTON (AP) — As the Biden administration heralds the forthcoming release of five U.S. citizens detained by Iran, President Joe Biden is also confronting questions about the price being paid to bring them — and other detainees — home. But each time, officials have said bringing home Americans held by foreign adversaries is a core administration priority that necessarily comes at a heavy cost. Increasingly, the Biden White House has appeared willing to pay it. The Biden administration is, of course, hardly unique in prisoner swaps. The Obama administration in a 2016 deal that drew consternation granted clemency to seven Iranians charged in the U.S. in exchange for the release by Iran of four Americans.

Persons: Biden, Joe Biden, Matthew Miller, “, Michael Waltz, they’ll, Trump, Donald Trump, who'd, Obama, there's, Siamak Namazi, James W, Danielle Gilbert, ”, It's, There's, Mark Frerichs, Bashir Noorzai, Nicolás Maduro’s, Antony Blinken, Iran wouldn’t, Ebrahim Raisi, Gilbert Organizations: WASHINGTON, U.S, WNBA, Biden White, Mideast, ”, Republican National Convention, Foley Foundation, Northwestern University, Justice Department, U.S ., U.S . U.S, NBC Locations: Iran, America, Russia, ”, U.S, Florida, Iranian, Washington, Venezuela, South Korea, Qatar, Northwestern

WASHINGTON/CARACAS, May 18 (Reuters) - The U.S. has assured the United Nations that it will shield a proposed UN-administered Venezuela humanitarian fund from creditors, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday, removing a key obstacle to getting the money flowing. Representatives of Maduro and the opposition announced agreement on the fund in brief negotiations in Mexico late last year meant to advance efforts to organize free elections in Venezuela. The fund is meant to aid ordinary Venezuelans suffering from economic and humanitarian crises. According to the four sources familiar with the matter, the U.S. notified the UN earlier this month that the funds would be safe from creditors. Dinorah Figuera, head of the Venezuelan opposition's legislature, said the U.S. move "opens the possibility that funds will reach the United Nations and open the door to negotiations."

[1/4] U.S. President Joe Biden meets with Colombian President Gustavo Petro in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., April 20, 2023. REUTERS/Kevin LamarqueApril 20 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden praised Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Thursday for his country's treatment of refugees from Venezuela and for his commitment to democracy and human rights. "As we begin the next century of our partnership, I believe we can do even more" to deepen and develop cooperation, Biden told Petro during Thursday's meeting. Biden thanked Petro for the hospitality and support that Colombia was showing to Venezuelan refugees. REGIONAL PARTNERS"We're working closely with regional partners to help Colombia meet this challenge," Biden said.

☆ Biden to discuss Venezuela sanctions with Colombia's Petro in White House talks -official
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Matt Spetalnick | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Colombia's President Gustavo Petro speaks on the day of a presentation of the labor reform that his government wants to carry out, in Bogota, Colombia March 16, 2023. REUTERS/Luisa GonzalezWASHINGTON, April 19 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden will tell Colombian President Gustavo Petro in White House talks on Thursday that he is willing to further ease sanctions on Venezuela only in return for concrete steps toward free elections there, a senior administration official told Reuters. The White House talks are aimed at renewing historically strong ties between Washington and Bogota and charting a new relationship with Colombia’s first leftist president. Since taking office, Biden has eased some U.S. sanctions on OPEC-member Venezuela to encourage dialogue. “Unilateral lifting of sanctions," the official said on condition of anonymity, "will line the pockets of people who have already stolen billions of dollars from Venezuela ...

☆ Venezuela Oil Minister Resigns Amid Widening Corruption Probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Kejal Vyas | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Tareck El Aissami said that he resigned to facilitate a government anticorruption probe. Venezuela’s oil minister resigned Monday amid a widening campaign by President Nicolás Maduro to root out corruption in the government and the national oil company, which in recent days has led to the arrests of several government officials on graft charges. Tareck El Aissami , who had held high posts in government and long been among Mr. Maduro’s closest confidants, said on Twitter that he was stepping down from his post to facilitate the government’s anticorruption probe into state-run Petróleos de Venezuela, or PdVSA. He couldn’t be reached to comment.

☆ All-female team replaces Juan Guaidó as face of Venezuela opposition
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela’s opposition has selected an all-female team of mostly unknown exiled former lawmakers to replace the beleaguered Juan Guaidó as the face of its faltering efforts to remove socialist President Nicolas Maduro. Meanwhile, Maduro’s supporters seemed to be relishing the opposition’s squabbles. At Thursday’s session inaugurating the legislative year, loyalist lawmakers re-elected Jorge Rodriguez to lead the National Assembly. U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said Tuesday that the U.S. stands ready to work with any individual, or collective body, chosen by the 2015 National Assembly to represent it. We support the 2015 National Assembly as the only remaining vestige of democracy in Venezuela.”

☆ Venezuelan opposition strips Juan Guaidó of ‘presidential’ role
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

CARACAS, Venezuela — For three years, Juan Guaidó led the Venezuelan opposition’s efforts to bring about new elections and remove socialist President Nicolás Maduro. The vote reflects a changing balance of power within the opposition, which is trying to find new ways to connect with voters ahead of the nation’s 2024 presidential election. Three of Venezuela’s four main opposition parties backed the proposal to remove Guaidó, who was supported only by his own Popular Will party. After the vote, Guaidó said the move would create a “power vacuum” that could encourage more foreign nations to recognize the Maduro administration. So the opposition legislators created an “interim government,” headed by Guaidó, that was meant to last until Maduro stepped down and free elections could be held.

☆ Former Rep. David Rivera of Florida is arrested in Venezuela probe
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

David Rivera, a Republican who served from 2011 to 2013, was arrested at Atlanta’s airport, said Marlene Rodriguez, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Miami. To justify the large payments, PDV USA allegedly created “phony contracts” backdated to March 20, 2017 — the day before the consulting agreement took effect. Rivera’s consulting contract had all the hallmarks of a sham, according to PDV USA, which since 2019 has been run by directors appointed by the U.S.-backed opposition. Rivera never met in person with anyone from Citgo or PDV USA while supposedly working on its behalf. “The written record is bereft of any evidence that Interamerican performed any of the contracted services,” PDV USA argues in the new filings.

☆ Biden eases Venezuela sanctions as opposition talks resume
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-26 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration on Saturday eased some oil sanctions on Venezuela in an effort to support newly restarted negotiations between President Nicolás Maduro’s government and its opposition. The Treasury Department is allowing Chevron to resume “limited” energy production in Venezuela after years of sanctions that have dramatically curtailed oil and gas profits that have flowed to Maduro’s government. Under the new policy, profits from the sale of energy would be directed to paying down debt owed to Chevron, rather than providing profits to PDVSA. Talks between the Maduro government and the “Unitary Platform” resumed in Mexico City on Saturday after more than a yearlong pause. The official said the U.S. would closely monitor Maduro’s commitment to the talks and reserved the right to reimpose stricter sanctions or to continue to ease them depending on how the negotiations proceed.

The U.S. will require that Chevron report details of its financial operations to ensure transparency. WASHINGTON—The U.S. said it would allow Chevron Corp. to resume pumping oil from its Venezuelan oil fields after President Nicolás Maduro’s government and an opposition coalition agreed to implement an estimated $3 billion humanitarian relief program and continue dialogue in Mexico City on efforts to hold free and fair elections. Following the Norwegian-brokered agreement signed in Mexico City, the Biden administration granted a license to Chevron that allows the California-based oil company to return to its oil fields in joint ventures with the Venezuela national oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela SA. The new license, granted by the Treasury Department, permits Chevron to pump Venezuelan oil for the first time in years.

☆ U.S. fugitive ‘Fat Leonard’ seeks Venezuelan asylum
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Leonard Glenn Francis slipped away from house arrest in San Diego on Sept. 4, only weeks before he was to be sentenced. By law the Venezuelan government must consider the asylum request. Venezuelan officials have said he intended to reach Russia. Leonard Glenn Francis, the CEO of Glenn Defense Marine Asia of Singapore. The U.S. attorney’s office declined to comment when asked about Francis’ request for asylum in Venezuela.

☆ Venezuela rejects U.N. report detailing rights abuses, torture allegations
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Hector Constant Rosales, Venezuela’s ambassador in Geneva, rejected the report released last week by the experts working for the U.N.’s Human Rights Council as a “pseudo report” that masked “obscure interests” opposed to the South American country. The government had not previously responded to the report — the third in a series from the council’s fact-finding mission on Venezuela. It also said Maduro had ordered torture in some cases, but provided no details of specific instances. The main targets included opposition leaders, students, journalists and people working for nongovernmental organizations, it said. Maduro’s government has not allowed the U.N.-backed experts to enter Venezuela or responded to over 20 letters they sent to authorities.

Ron DeSantis sent two planes of mostly Venezuelan asylum-seekers to Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts, advertising executive Max Lefeld slammed the move as a political stunt. A group of migrants huddle on a sidewalk in front of St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Martha's Vineyard, Mass. The divisions largely fall along political lines, with Venezuelan Republicans defending DeSantis and Democrats blasting the move. Venezuelan migrants often cross the perilous Darien Gap in the Colombia-Panama border and then make their way north across Central America. Now many Venezuelans are divided, with Republicans defending DeSantis’ move to send Venezuelans to Martha’s Vineyard and Democrats condemning it.

Search resuls for: "Maduro’s"

24 mentions found