New Venezuela opposition chief assured U.S. will defend property

By Corina Pons

MADRID (Reuters) – The brand new president of Venezuela’s opposition legislature is assured the US will again the physique by persevering with to guard overseas property like oil refiner Citgo Petroleum from collectors, she stated on Friday.

Dinorah Figuera, a 61-year-old physician from the Primero Justicia occasion, was chosen to guide the opposition’s nationwide meeting earlier this month because it prepares to select a presidential candidate and pushes for renewed talks with the federal government.

Figuera, who lives in exile in Spain, informed Reuters in an interview that the meeting’s new triumvirate of ladies leaders will be capable of confront President Nicolas Maduro, whom the US and different international locations think about a dictator, and defend property like Citgo and practically $2 billion in gold on the Financial institution of England from collectors.

Maduro has accused the opposition of working with the US and different international locations to stage coups in opposition to him.

This month the U.S. Treasury Division prolonged safety for Citgo till April and Figuera stated it may very well be renewed.

“America helps the Nationwide Meeting, England helps the Nationwide Meeting … we’ve had conversations and that (Citgo) licence might be renewed for extra months,” Figuera stated.

Venezuela owes greater than $60 billion to collectors and is going through authorized judgements over nationalizations and delayed bond funds.

Opposition lawmakers have appointed a committee to handle property overseas.

Venezuela historically has just one legislature, however at the moment has two parallel our bodies – one in all government-allied lawmakers and one other for the opposition.

Figuera, who moved to Spain in 2018, goals to “sew collectively” the unity of the opposition, after typically fierce infighting between its largest events.

As with different opposition lawmakers, she doesn’t obtain a wage for her position.

She is within the strategy of transferring her medical credentials so can not but observe as a health care provider and makes ends meet by caring for an 87-year-old diabetic girl in Valencia, in southern Spain.

“I’ve acquired threats despatched by individuals who know or have individuals close to to Madurismo,” she stated, referencing Maduro’s allies, and including police confiscated the residence and a automobile she nonetheless owned in Venezuela a number of hours after she was appointed.

Although she misplaced her sister and mom to COVID-19 after leaving Venezuela, she nonetheless hopes to return at some point.

“I’ve religion that we’re going to transfer ahead,” she stated. “Dictatorships usually are not everlasting.”