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Jeenah Moon for The New York TimesIn a tidy suburban apartment complex on Long Island, a Venezuelan mother of two surveyed her new home and declared herself blessed. Sury Saray Espine and her family had spent 13 months in a homeless shelter in New York City. Now, in early February, they were moving into a one-bedroom in Central Islip with a galley kitchen and access to a swimming pool. Best of all, the state would pay their rent for a year, through a resettlement program designed to house 1,250 migrant families at a fraction of the cost of keeping them in New York City’s overflowing shelters. The family’s experience, however, has been an anomaly.

Persons: Sury Saray Espine Organizations: The New York Times Locations: Long, Venezuelan, New York City, Central Islip, New York

☆ Laken Riley: Vigil to be held for Augusta University student killed on UGA campus as a suspect remains in custody
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( Elizabeth Wolfe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —A vigil will be held Monday afternoon for Laken Hope Riley, an Augusta University nursing student who was found dead after jogging on the University of Georgia campus last week, as her suspected killer’s immigration status has drawn the scrutiny of Republican leaders. Riley, who was a UGA student until May 2023, was found dead Thursday near a lake on the university’s campus from blunt force trauma, according to UGA Police Chief Jeff Clark. Riley’s killing has left the University of Georgia to grieve two tragic deaths that occurred less than a day apart: Her body was discovered just hours after the death of a UGA student the previous night. The Monday afternoon vigil will be co-hosted by Riley’s Alpha Chi Omega sorority at UGA in remembrance of both of the dead students, the university said. Clark referred to Riley’s killing as a “crime of opportunity,” noting he believes the suspect acted alone.

Persons: Laken Hope Riley, Riley, Jeff Clark, Jose Antonio Ibarra, Ibarra, Clark, haven’t, ” Clark, outcries, Brian Kemp, Joe Biden, ” Kemp, Joe Biden’s, Mike Johnson, Riley’s, Biden, “, ” Jose Antonio Ibarra Clarke, Greg Abbott, Diego Ibarra, Peers, ’, ”, ” Riley, ” Laken Hope Riley, Lauren Phillips, “ I’m, LISTo, CNN’s Ashley R, Williams, Rebekah Riess, Priscilla Alvarez, Isabel Rosales, Jaide Timm, Garcia, Jamiel Lynch Organizations: CNN, Augusta University, University of Georgia, Republican, UGA, UGA Police, Investigators, GOP, Riley’s Alpha Chi Omega, Police, ” Police, Customs, Georgia Gov, Sheriff’s, Governors, Republican Texas Gov, Democratic, Biden, Pew Research, ICE, New York City, NYPD, US, Office, Middle, Middle District of Georgia, Augusta University College of Nursing, UAC, Facebook, of Nursing, Hispanic Student Association Locations: Venezuelan, Mexico, Middle District

CNN —Dozens are feared to be dead after an illegal gold mine in the Venezuelan town of La Paragua collapsed, according to the town’s mayor Yorgi Arciniega. The mayor estimates dozens of people have been killed, and more are still trapped in the collapsed mine. Egar Colina, a security official in the Bolivar state government, urged caution and said more state officials were trying to reach La Paragua to update the death toll. Bolivar is a forest-covered region that has long been affected by illegal mining for gold and other minerals. La Paragua is less than 40 miles from the park’s borders.

Persons: Yorgi Arciniega, Arciniega, Egar Organizations: CNN, CNN en Espanol, . Relief Locations: Venezuelan, La Paragua, Bolivar, Venezuela, Brazil

☆ 4 Ways Autocrats Have Used Interpol to Harass Faraway Enemies
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Jane Bradley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Interpol is the world’s largest police organization. It serves as a powerful bulletin board that governments and law enforcement agencies use to team up to pursue fugitives across the globe. Here are some of the ways countries can exploit Interpol:Red NoticesInterpol’s red notice, the closest thing to an international arrest warrant, has long been dogged by controversy. And William F. Browder, a London-based human rights campaigner, has been repeatedly targeted for arrest by Russia. In response, Interpol has toughened oversight, making it harder than ever to misuse red notices.

Persons: William F, Browder Organizations: Interpol Locations: Venezuelan, Peru, An, Australia, London, Russia

☆ Strongmen Find New Ways to Abuse Interpol, Despite Years of Fixes
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Jane Bradley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For years, strongmen and autocrats had a novel weapon in their hunt for political enemies. They used Interpol, the world’s largest police organization, to reach across borders and grab them — even in democracies. In response, Interpol has toughened oversight of its arrest alerts, known as red notices, making it harder than ever to misuse them. Abuse of this important antiterrorism tool got so bad that Interpol temporarily blocked Turkey from using it. Belarus is now subject to special monitoring after Interpol spotted a wave of politically motivated entries, officials said.

Persons: autocrats, William F, Browder Organizations: Interpol, New York Times Locations: Venezuelan, Peru, An, Australia, Russia, London, Belarus, Turkey

CHICAGO (AP) — The cause of death for a 5-year-old Venezuelan boy who died in December after becoming ill at a temporary shelter for migrants in Chicago was sepsis and a bacterial infection that causes strep throat, an autopsy released Friday shows. Jean Carlos Martinez died Dec. 17 as a result of sepsis due to streptococcus pyogenes group A infection, which can cause strep throat and other life-threatening illnesses, the autopsy released by the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office showed. Contributing factors in his death were listed as COVID-19, adenovirus and rhinovirus, the autopsy showed. The boy was a resident at a warehouse retrofitted as a shelter in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood when he suffered a medical emergency, the city has said. Earlier this month, hundreds of asylum-seekers still awaited placement at airports and police stations in Chicago, some of them still camped on sidewalks outside precinct buildings.

Persons: Jean Carlos Martinez Organizations: CHICAGO, Cook Locations: Chicago, Cook County, Chicago’s Pilsen, U.S, Texas

Maxar Technologies Visual Investigations The $2.8 Billion Hole in U.S. Sanctions on Iran A Times investigation reveals how lax government oversight allowed shadowy oil tankers, covered by American insurance, to fund Iran’s regime. The American Club is one of only 12 major insurers of its kind, and the only one based in the United States. By then, the tankers had transported at least $2.8 billion in crude oil, based on the lowest reported prices of Iranian oil in 2023. The Treasury office has publicly enforced sanctions on the American Club only once in the past 20 years. Ultimately, the office said the American Club did “not appear to have been willful or reckless” and the case was settled.

Persons: Biden, ”, penna gabrielle toyomi, penna selene gabrielle, gabrielle, selene, lisa marianne selene, Samir Madani, Maggie Hassan, Daniel Tadros, “, Mr, Tadros, Shipowners, ” Mr, Madani of TankerTrackers.com, David Tannenbaum Organizations: Maxar, Maxar Technologies, Sanctions, U.S, White, New York Times, Times, Treasury Department, American Club, Treasury, cathay kirin, Copernicus, Planet Labs, Star, American, The Times, Revolutionary Guards Corps, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Club’s, Hamas, Bloomberg, United Against Nuclear, Nuclear, Glory, United, National Iranian Tanker, Labs, Copernicus Sentinel, Club, International Maritime Organization, AIS, Spire Locations: Gulf of Oman, American, U.S, Iran, New York, New Hampshire, United States, Hong Kong, Kharg, Kpler, China, Israel, Yemen, United Against Nuclear Iran, Nuclear Iran, United Arab Emirates, Asaluyeh, Dubai, of Oman, Persian, Oman, Cuba, Sudan, MarineTraffic, SynMax, TankerTrackers.com

Of all the government critics, few thought that Rocío San Miguel would be the one to disappear. Ms. San Miguel, 57, has long been one of Venezuela’s best known security experts, a woman who dared investigate her country’s authoritarian government even as others fled. But late last week, Ms. San Miguel arrived at the airport outside Caracas with her daughter, bound for what a relative called a short trip to Miami, when she was picked up by counterintelligence agents. For four days, the only public information about Ms. San Miguel came from Venezuela’s top prosecutor, who claimed on social media, without providing evidence, that Ms. San Miguel had been linked to a plot to kill the country’s president, Nicolás Maduro. Finally, on Tuesday evening, her lawyers said she had surfaced — and was being held in a notoriously brutal detention center.

Persons: San, San Miguel, Nicolás Maduro Organizations: Venezuelan Locations: San Miguel, Caracas, Miami, Venezuela’s

☆ Rocio San Miguel: White House ‘concerned’ as Venezuela detains activist over alleged ‘White Bracelet’ plot to kill Maduro
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Stefano Pozzebon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —White House spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Tuesday that the US government is “deeply concerned” by the arrest of activist and security analyst Rocio San Miguel in Caracas, Venezuela. On Tuesday, Venezuela’s Attorney General Tarek William Saab announced on X that San Miguel had been charged overnight with treason, conspiracy, terrorism and criminal association as part of an investigation into the “White Bracelet” plot. “White Bracelet” is the name of an alleged plot to kill President Nicolas Maduro that the Venezuelan government denounced in January, and for which it has presented no evidence. San Miguel’s ex-husband Alejandro Gonzales was also charged with revealing military secrets, while four other citizens were released, Saab said. They are complicit in (terrorism) and interventionist actions against Venezuela,” Gil wrote on X.

Persons: CNN —, John Kirby, “, Rocio San, …, ” Kirby, Juan Luis Gonzalez, Tarek William Saab, Miguel, Nicolas Maduro, Miguel’s, Alejandro Gonzales, Yvan Gil, Maduro, Vladimir Padrino, Freddy Bernal, ”, ” Gil Organizations: CNN, Maiquetia, Venezuela’s, Saab, UN, Commission, Human Rights, Interamerican, Amnesty International Locations: Rocio San Miguel, Caracas, Venezuela, Miguel, Venezuelan, Spanish, United States, Tachira

☆ US Concerned About Venezuela's Arrest of Activist and Her Family
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is "deeply concerned" by reports that human rights activist Rocio San Miguel and members of her family have been arrested in Venezuela, the White House said on Tuesday. San Miguel is president of the non-governmental organization Control Ciudadano, which advocates for citizen oversight of Venezuela's armed forces. San Miguel's legal team says it has requested information from Venezuelan authorities following her arrest but has not received a response. Human rights groups say her lawyers were not present at her arraignment on Monday. Washington began reimposing sanctions last month after Venezuela's top court upheld a ban blocking the candidacy of the leading opposition presidential hopeful.

Persons: Rocio San Miguel, Miguel, Nicolas Maduro, John Kirby, Maduro, Kirby, Tarek Saab, State Nicolas Maduro, Washington, Jeff Mason, Gabriel Araujo, Mayela Armas, Rami Ayyub Organizations: WASHINGTON, Control, State, United Nations Locations: United States, Venezuela, U.S

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government has seized a Boeing 747 cargo plane that officials say was previously sold by a sanctioned Iranian airline to a state-owned Venezuelan firm in violation of American export control laws. The Justice Department said Monday that the American-built plane had arrived in Florida and would be disposed of. The plane was detained in June 2022 by Argentine law enforcement, and U.S. officials moved several weeks later to take possession of it. The Justice Department has identified the registered captain of the plane as an ex-commander for the Revolutionary Guard. Mahan Air has denied any ties to the aircraft, and Venezuela has demanded that Argentine authorities release the plane.

Persons: Mahan, Matthew Olsen, ”, Nicolas Maduro, Regina Garcia Cano Organizations: WASHINGTON, Boeing, Justice Department, Air, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Quds Force, Officials, Revolutionary Guard, Justice, Argentine, The, Mahan Air, Associated Press Locations: U.S, Iranian, Venezuelan, Florida, United States, Argentine, Argentina, Emtrasur, Moscow, Caracas, Tehran, Venezuela

☆ Venezuelan Human Rights Activist Detained at Airport - Rights Groups
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

CARACAS (Reuters) - Human rights groups on Sunday demanded the release of prominent Venezuelan lawyer and activist Rocio San Miguel, whom Venezuelan authorities detained on Friday near Caracas according to Amnesty International and other groups. Rocio San Miguel is the president of the non-governmental organization Control Ciudadano, which advocates for citizen oversight of Venezuela's armed forces. Local media reported she was detained at the international airport on the outskirts of Caracas. Amnesty International wrote on X that it "calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Rocio San Miguel" and is monitoring the reports of her "forced disappearance." Rocio San Miguel is an expert in issues of security, defense and human rights.

Persons: Rocio San Miguel, Rocio San, Vivian Sequera, Mayela, Josie Kao Organizations: Sunday, Amnesty International, Control, Local, Amnesty, Ministry, Mayela Armas Locations: CARACAS, Venezuelan, Caracas, Rocio San Miguel

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The government of Venezuela accused neighboring Guayana Sunday of granting illegal oil exploration concessions in territory the two nations are disputing. The comments Sunday came after Guyana said Saturday that it has satellite imagery showing Venezuelan military movements near the South American country’s eastern border with Guyana. Venezuela has been laying claim to the mineral-rich Essequibo region, which covers about two thirds of Guyana’s surface area. But for more than 60 years Venezuela has accused the commission of cheating it out of the Essequibo region. Several top American administration and military officials have visited Guyana in recent weeks as a show of support.

Persons: Guayana, Vincent, Robert Persaud, Irfaan Ali, Nicolás Maduro Organizations: ”, ExxonMobil, Argyle, US Center for Strategic, International Studies, Venezuelan Locations: CARACAS, Venezuela, Guyana, Essequibo, Caribbean, St, Brazil, Punta Barima, Netherlands, U.S

☆ Venezuela builds forces near Guyana border despite agreement to de-escalate
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Vasco Cotovio | Allegra Goodwin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Satellite images show Venezuela has bolstered its military presence near the border with Guyana, despite Caracas saying it would pursue a diplomatic avenue to try and resolve the long-standing territorial dispute over an oil-rich piece of Guyanese land. Anacoco Island military base on July 28, 2021. Satellite image ©2024 Maxar Technologies Anacoco Island military base on January 13, 2024. Satellite image ©2024 Maxar Technologies Aerial views of Anacoco Island military base on July 28, 2021 and January 13, 2024. Venezuela later reached an agreement with Guyana on December 15 to avoid escalation and try to settle the dispute between the two countries without force.

Persons: “, ” Organizations: CNN, 11th Armoured Brigade, 6th Venezuelan Army Corps Engineers, Venezuelan Army, Center for Strategic, International Studies Locations: Venezuela, Guyana, Caracas, Guayana, Republic, Washington, Venezuelan

☆ National Guardsmen Accused of Abusing Migrants They Were Sent to Protect
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Jay Root | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

After two asylum seekers were arrested last summer and accused of sexual assault at Buffalo-area motels, Gov. Kathy Hochul sent in the National Guard to provide a “stabilizing presence” there and at a handful of other motels being used as shelters. But now the Guard is investigating whether some of its members engaged in sexual misconduct with migrants in western New York, amid a new lawsuit accusing Guard members and private supervisors of various abuses. The lawsuit, filed on Thursday in Federal District Court in Manhattan, describes a culture of coercion, fear and retribution at the Quality Inn motel near the Buffalo Niagara International Airport, one of the many low-budget lodgings where recent migrants have been relocated to relieve pressure on New York City’s beleaguered shelter system. One guardsman was accused of sexual assault for coercing a Venezuelan woman to trade sexual favors in exchange for food and housing, and another of groping the woman’s 10-year-old daughter.

Persons: Kathy Hochul Organizations: National Guard, Guard, Court, Buffalo Niagara International Airport, coercing Locations: Buffalo, New York, Manhattan, Venezuelan

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) — ExxonMobil said it plans to explore for oil and gas in a disputed area off South America’s coast where the Venezuelan military had previously expelled two U.S. oil companies. The president of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge, told reporters that the concessions were granted by Guyana and that the company is committed to its operations despite the country’s ongoing tensions with Venezuela. In 2019, ExxonMobil was forced to abandon exploration activities after a Venezuelan military helicopter tried to land on a seismic vessel. The latest push by ExxonMobil comes as Guyana and Venezuela prepare to meet for a second time to try and diffuse the dispute over the Essequibo region. Essequibo is a mineral-rich territory that accounts for two-thirds of Guyana and lies near big offshore oil deposits.

Persons: Robert Persaud, Alistair Routledge, ” Organizations: ExxonMobil, Venezuelan, Associated Press Locations: GEORGETOWN, Guyana, America’s, Venezuela, Essequibo, ExxonMobil Guyana, Venezuelan, Texas, U.S

When deportation flights from the United States to Venezuela resumed last fall after four years, it was a move meant to show that President Biden was aggressively tackling the record numbers of crossings at the U.S. southern border. The expulsions were also meant to deter other Venezuelans who might be considering the journey. But on Wednesday, for the second week in a row, U.S.-run flights to Venezuela carrying migrants did not depart as planned — a move that seems to be initiated by Venezuela. The Venezuelan government did not respond to repeated requests for comment about whether it was permanently halting the deportation flights, but a social media post by Venezuela’s vice president last month threatened to stop them after the United States reimposed some economic sanctions. Officials at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed that a flight scheduled last week and another scheduled Wednesday had both been canceled.

Persons: Biden Organizations: United, U.S . Department of Homeland Security Locations: United States, Venezuela, U.S, Venezuelan

☆ Analysis: Maduro’s immigration card could influence America’s election, not just Venezuela’s
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Rafael Romo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Let’s get united,” Maduro said. Banning Machado from running for president amounts to a repudiation of the agreement, both the opposition and the United States have claimed. “In response to anti-democratic actions by Maduro representatives, the United States has revoked sanctions relief for Venezuela’s gold sector. Venezuela has recently been cooperating with the United States to reduce illegal immigration by allowing removal flights. It’s also immigration and oil during an election year in the United States.

Persons: Voters don’t, Nicolás Maduro, Joe Biden, Biden, Hugo Chávez, Maduro, ” , Let’s, ” Maduro, María Corina Machado, Machado, Maria Corina Machado, Gaby Oraa, ”, ” Machado, Leopoldo López, Maduro’s, Brian Winter, there’s, “, ” Winter, John Moore, Banning Machado, Matthew Miller, Delcy Rodríguez, “ Maduro, It’s Organizations: CNN, Venezuelan, Voters, Socialist United Party of Venezuela, American, US, Venezuela’s, Justice, National Assembly, Bloomberg, Getty, Americas Quarterly, Immigrants, Border Patrol, Biden, US State Department, Twitter, State Department Locations: Venezuela, United States, Caracas, Madrid, Spain, Rio Grande, Eagle Pass , Texas, Barbados, Maduro, Mexico

☆ Chinese migrants are flocking to the southern border, and some have Chinese TikTok guides on how to enter the US: CBS
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Chinese migrants hoping to get into the US are turning to an unlikely guide — the Chinese version of Tiktok. There has been a surge in the number of Chinese migrants crossing the US border in recent years. AdvertisementSome Chinese migrants attempting to cross the US southern border are getting a little help from Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, according to a report from CBS' "60 Minutes." Chinese migrants who spoke to 60 Minutes said they learned about the gap via the video application Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. Chinese migrants hoping to start a new life in the US have to trek through multiple countries before they arrive stateside.

Persons: —, It's, Manuel Monterrosa Organizations: Migrants, Service, CBS, CNN, US Customs, Reuters, New York Times, Business Insider Locations: Douyin, San Diego, crisscross, Turkey, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Mexico, Southwest, Texas, China, Venezuela, India

☆ At 25, I saw zero career opportunities in my hometown. I spent all my savings on a one-way ticket out, and I have no regrets.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Shubhangi Goel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Veronica Pulido left her hometown at 25 because finding a career there felt impossible. My country isn't in the best economic situation and I always felt like I had nothing to do there. I always wanted to travel, and when I saw her story, I thought, "I could be her, right?" It took two years of savings, which is everything I had, to buy a one-way ticket to Spain, where my sister lives. I keep 400 euros, or $435, in my fund, and I pretend I don't have that money until it's an emergency.

Persons: Veronica Pulido, Pulido, She's, Workaway, —, Veronica Puldio Organizations: Service, Spain, Kids Locations: Europe, Venezuela, Switzerland, Prague, Czech Republic, Spain, Romania, Germany, Balkans, Croatia, Bulgaria, Venezuelan, Sofia, Asia

Crossings in recent weeks are down overall along the entire U.S. border, including areas without such a heavy security presence. The arrival of GOP governors to Eagle Pass rounds out a weekend that has kept the small border city of roughly 30,000 residents in an unwitting spotlight. The number of crossings in Eagle Pass has recently fallen to a few hundred a day. Mexico has bolstered immigration efforts that include adding more checkpoints and sending people from the northern border to southern Mexico. Melissa Ruiz, 30, arrived at the Piedras Negras shelter, across the river from Eagle Pass, along with her four children.

Persons: — Kyle Willis, “ It’s, It’s, ”, Willis, Greg Abbott, Joe Biden's, Joe Biden, Ron DeSantis, Biden, John Modlin, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Donald Trump, MAGA, Melissa Ruiz, Ruiz, Maria Verza, Mexico City anf Elliot Spagat Organizations: Texas National Guard, Texas Gov, Florida Gov, National Guard, U.S . Border Patrol, Border Patrol, –, U.S . Biden, Eagle, AP, Associated Locations: PIEDRAS NEGRAS, Mexico, U.S, Texas, Grande, Eagle, Piedras Negras, Park, Tucson , Arizona, Mexican, Rio Grande, Central America, Ecuador, Peru, Honduran, Piedras, Mexico City, San Diego

MIAMI (AP) — It was a plan the United States knew from the start would arguably violate international law. Here are some of the takeaways from the AP's exclusive report on the secret memo:Photos You Should See View All 45 ImagesWHAT DOES THE MEMO REVEAL? The 15-page memo spells out a secret DEA plan directing confidential informants to record Venezuelan officials suspected of converting the South American country into a narco state. “It is necessary to conduct this operation unilaterally and without notifying Venezuelan officials,” officials wrote in the memo. None of the indictments of Venezuelan officials before or after the 2018 memo made any mention of U.S. spying.

Persons: Nicolás Maduro, ”, Wes Tabor, Jose Vielma, Hugo Chávez, ” Michael Nadler, Maduro’s, Alex Saab, Maduro, “, Biden, Evan Criddle, William & Mary Organizations: MIAMI, Associated Press, U.S . Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA, IRS, U.S, Attorney’s, Justice Department, CIA, Supreme, William & Locations: United States, Venezuela, U.S, Manhattan, Miami, VENEZUELA, Latin America, Virginia, Investigative@ap.org

“It is necessary to conduct this operation unilaterally and without notifying Venezuelan officials,” reads the 15-page 2018 memo expanding “Operation Money Badger,” an investigation that authorities say targeted dozens of people, including Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Within weeks, senior DEA officials plotted to deploy at least three undercover informants to surreptitiously record top officials suspected of converting Venezuela into a narco state. And “to limit or mitigate the exposure of the unilateral activities,” the document advised DEA officials to protect their informants and curtail in-person meetings with targets. I think they figured they had nothing to lose.”RELEASED BY ACCIDENTThe Operation Money Badger memo was never intended to be made public. The DEA memo authorized three informants to secretly record undercover meetings with the targets.

Persons: –, ”, Nicolás Maduro, Maduro’s, Alex Saab, Wes Tabor, “ We’re, Maduro, “, Biden, ” Maduro, Donald Trump’s, Trump, Joe Biden, ” —, Evan Criddle, William & Mary, there’s, Mike Vigil, Manny Recio, John Costanzo Jr, Costanzo, ” Michael Nadler, Washington –, launderer, Jose Vielma, Hugo Chávez, Vielma’s, Luis Motta, Vielma, Motta, Motta’s, Zach Margulis, Hugo Carvajal, Jennifer Farrar Organizations: MIAMI, The Associated Press, U.S . Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA, Justice, AP, CIA, State, Justice Department, U.S, Attorney’s, Democratic, Supreme, William &, Saab, Miami Field Division’s, IRS Locations: Venezuela, United States, U.S, America, Venezuelan, Miami, Manhattan, Russia, China, OPEC, Mexico, Virginia, “, Colombian, New York, Houston, Washington, Investigative@ap.org

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. is considering additional measures against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro ’s government after the South American country’s highest court blocked the presidential candidacy of an opposition leader. This comes after the U.S. government on Monday pulled back part of the sanctions relief it granted Venezuela last year, following through on its threat to do so after Maduro reneged on a deal his administration made last year in Barbados with the Venezuelan opposition to hold free elections in 2024. A spokesperson for the National Security Council said the U.S. is clear about the path forward in support of democratic elections and is considering additional measures against the Maduro regime. The department had allowed transactions with the mining company in October after the Maduro government agreed to level the playing field ahead of this year’s presidential election. Matthew Miller, a U.S. State Department spokesperson, said the Barbados electoral roadmap is the most viable mechanism to resolving Venezuela’s longstanding political and economic problems.

Persons: Nicolás Maduro, Maduro, María Corina Machado, Machado, Matthew Miller, ” ___ Garcia Cano Organizations: WASHINGTON, Venezuelan, American, U.S, Monday, Venezuela’s, National Security Council, Department’s, Foreign, U.S . State Department Locations: U.S, Venezuela, Barbados, Venezuelan, Caracas

This is called judicial criminality,” Machado said of Friday's ruling by the Supreme Tribunal of Justice. The longtime government foe was able to participate, because the primary was organized by a commission independent of Venezuela’s electoral authorities. On Monday, she sought to reassure supporters, telling them that her campaign is “stronger than ever” and she will represent them during the presidential election. The court and the National Electoral Council, the country’s electoral body, are stacked with people affiliated with the ruling party. "Should there be an aggressive action, our response will be calm, reciprocal and energetic.”___Zeke Miller contributed to this report from Washington.

Persons: María Corina Machado, ”, Machado, Nicolás Maduro, ” Machado, “, Friday’s, Maduro, They’ve, John Kirby, Elvis Amoroso, Tarek William Saab, Roberto Abdul, Gerardo Blyde, Jorge Rodríguez, Blyde, Rodríguez, ” Rodríguez, ___ Zeke Miller Organizations: Monday, Justice, National Security, of American, Electoral Council, U.S Locations: CARACAS, Venezuela, Venezuelan, United States, Venezuela's, U.S, Barbados, Spain, Latin America, Washington

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