Maduro critic has a new stage

– Venezuela’s fugitive former top prosecutor grabbed the limelight at an international forum in Brazil yesterday to intensify her battle against President Nicolas Maduro.

Brazil’s prosecutors’ office confirmed that Luisa Ortega, 59, took part in a crime-fighting conference in the capital Brasilia with representatives from the Latin American trade regional group Mercosur.

“She took part at the invitation of the prosecutor-general,” the office said in a statement.

The appearance of Ortega added to the intrigue around the increasingly high-profile critic, who used the big stage to deliver new corruption allegations against the embattled leader.

“I will talk about the Odebrecht scandal, corruption in Venezuela and my situation,” she said in brief comments made to reporters at the airport following her arrival in Brasilia from Panama.

She was fired from her post this month after being earlier charged with misconduct by authorities loyal to Maduro.

She and her husband, German Ferrer, fled on Friday after the pro-Maduro Supreme Court issued an arrest warrant against Ferrer for alleged corruption and extortion.

On Tuesday, Maduro announced he was asking Interpol to issue “red notice” warrants for “these people involved in serious crimes”.

But Colombia and Brazil have both firmly condemned Maduro’s handling of the crisis. – AFP