Venezuela parliament leader thanks Latin American countries accepting refugees
The president of the Foreign Policy Commission of the Venezuelan parliament, Francisco Sucre, thanked the nations that are accepting Venezuelan refugees and asked that they continue to allow easy passage
across borders. “Given the deteriorating conditions in Venezuela, we are grateful to our sister countries for accepting our people, who are enduring great suffering, with open arms,” he said. The Venezuela parliament, elected in 2016, opposes most of the policies of the government of President Nicolas Maduro.
Venezuelan refugees in Ecuador.
Sucre made his remarks Wednesday in Quito following a two-day meeting of 13 countries dealing with the Venezuela refugee crisis. He blamed the crisis on Maduro and said he “prayed for the day” when the refugees can return home. Sucre attended the meeting in an unofficial capacity since the government of Venezuela refused to send a representative.
Lasso to have spinal surgery in U.S.
Guillermo Lasso
Guillermo Lasso, who narrowly lost the 2017 presidential election to Lenin Moreono, says he will travel to the U.S. for spinal surgery later this month. Lasso, leader of the centrist CREO political party, injured his back in 2013 as a result of a fall during a religious pilgrimage in Spain. “I continue to suffer pain from the accident and it is time I try to repair the damage so I can lead a normal life,” he said Monday in Guayaquil. Lasso said that an earlier surgery in Spain failed to repair the injury, requiring the second procedure. The new surgery will be in Cleveland, Ohio in the U.S.
Lasso has announced he will seek the Ecuadorian presidency again in 2021.
Ecuadorian Pilsener beer hits European market
Ecuador’s top-selling beer is going international. Cervecería Nacional, brewer of Pilenser, announced last week that it will begin selling the label in Spain this month. At a Guayaquil press conference, foreign trade minister Pablo Campana said that initial marketing efforts will focus on Madrid, Barcelona and the Valencia. “Following the launch, sales will expand to the rest of Spain, then to Italy and France,” he said.
