Rome court rejects Venezuela extradition bid for ex-oil czar

A Rome court has rejected a request by Venezuela to extradite its former oil czar to face corruption charges, citing the countrys record in violating human rights, his Italian lawyer has said.

Rafael Ramirez, the longtime head of Venezuelas PDVSA state oil company, fled to Italy after falling out with President Nicolas Maduro and resigning as Venezuelas UN ambassador in 2017. Soon thereafter, Venezuelas chief prosecutor ordered his arrest on charges of bankrupting the countrys primary source of income.

Ramirez has called the Venezuelan probe retaliation for his decision to break with Maduro, who he has accused of running Venezuelas once-thriving oil industry into the ground and abandoning the socialist ideals of the countrys previous late leader, Hugo Chavez.

On Monday, Romes Court of Appeals, which hears extradition requests, rejected Venezuelas extradition bid, said Ramirezs Rome-based lawyer, Roberto De Vita.

The court found that Ramirez deserved international protection “given the violation of human rights in Venezuela,” De Vita said in a statement.

While the Venezuelan government could appeal to Italys highest Court of Cassation, Ramirezs lawyers noted that the Italian prosecutors representing Venezuelas case had changed their initially favorable opinion to consider extradition and asked the court to reject it at a hearing earlier this month.

No one answered the phone at Venezuelas embassy late Monday.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Federal staff and is auto-published from a syndicated feed.)