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| Venezuela minister claims sabotage was behind oil blast | Venezuela minister claims sabotage was behind oil blast |
| (8 days later) | |
| Venezuela's oil minister has said sabotage caused an explosion and fire in 2012 that killed more than 40 people at the country's main oil refinery. | Venezuela's oil minister has said sabotage caused an explosion and fire in 2012 that killed more than 40 people at the country's main oil refinery. |
| Rafael Ramirez claimed someone deliberately loosened bolts and released highly flammable gas. The minister did not say whether anyone specifically was suspected and ruled out employees of the state-owned PDVSA oil company. | Rafael Ramirez claimed someone deliberately loosened bolts and released highly flammable gas. The minister did not say whether anyone specifically was suspected and ruled out employees of the state-owned PDVSA oil company. |
| Separately, President Nicolás Maduro blamed the political opposition, although without providing evidence, continuing a line of invective against his opponents for any and all of the country's ills. | Separately, President Nicolás Maduro blamed the political opposition, although without providing evidence, continuing a line of invective against his opponents for any and all of the country's ills. |
| A former PDVSA security chief questioned Ramirez's explanation, calling it speculative and saying it raised questions about why the leak had not been detected. | A former PDVSA security chief questioned Ramirez's explanation, calling it speculative and saying it raised questions about why the leak had not been detected. |
| Shortly after the conflagration at the Amuay refinery on 25 August 2012, reports emerged of faulty maintenance at the facility including dozens of accidents in the months before the disaster. | Shortly after the conflagration at the Amuay refinery on 25 August 2012, reports emerged of faulty maintenance at the facility including dozens of accidents in the months before the disaster. |
| Ramirez alleged the blaze was caused by the loosening of seven bolts at a pump, releasing gas that exploded when national guard troops stationed at the refinery started up vehicles nearby to evacuate. | Ramirez alleged the blaze was caused by the loosening of seven bolts at a pump, releasing gas that exploded when national guard troops stationed at the refinery started up vehicles nearby to evacuate. |
| He said the disaster caused £700,000 worth of damages. It took four days to extinguish the fire. | He said the disaster caused £700,000 worth of damages. It took four days to extinguish the fire. |
| Forty-two people died and five were reported missing Only recently has the refinery restored production to 645,000 barrels a day of crude. | Forty-two people died and five were reported missing Only recently has the refinery restored production to 645,000 barrels a day of crude. |
| The former PDVSA security chief, Gustavo Benitez, said he found it difficult to believe that insurers would pay for damages caused by the disaster based on Ramirez's explanation. | The former PDVSA security chief, Gustavo Benitez, said he found it difficult to believe that insurers would pay for damages caused by the disaster based on Ramirez's explanation. |
| Benitez said that "the pump would have had to have been damaged, the sensors [that detect leaks] would have had to have been damaged" as well as mitigation systems. He said it appeared, rather, that "maintainance had been highly inefficient". | Benitez said that "the pump would have had to have been damaged, the sensors [that detect leaks] would have had to have been damaged" as well as mitigation systems. He said it appeared, rather, that "maintainance had been highly inefficient". |
| Since winning the election in April, Maduro – the handpicked successor of the late president Hugo Chávez – has accused the opposition of sabotaging the overstrained power grid, causing food shortages through hoarding and mounting four alleged plots to assassinate him. In no instance has Maduro substantiated the claims. | Since winning the election in April, Maduro – the handpicked successor of the late president Hugo Chávez – has accused the opposition of sabotaging the overstrained power grid, causing food shortages through hoarding and mounting four alleged plots to assassinate him. In no instance has Maduro substantiated the claims. |
| Political opponents led by Henrique Capriles, who insists Maduro stole the 14 April presidential election through fraud, scoff at his claims of sabotage. They say he is making them a scapegoat for his government's inadequacies and his waning popularity and to cover up corruption in this country with the world's biggest proven oil reserves. | Political opponents led by Henrique Capriles, who insists Maduro stole the 14 April presidential election through fraud, scoff at his claims of sabotage. They say he is making them a scapegoat for his government's inadequacies and his waning popularity and to cover up corruption in this country with the world's biggest proven oil reserves. |
| A report for an insurance carrier published widely right after the disaster found failures in the complex's maintenance and listed dozens of accidents. It said the refinery had 222 accidents in 2011, including 100 fires mostly caused by breaks and leaks in pipes carrying combustible liquids. | A report for an insurance carrier published widely right after the disaster found failures in the complex's maintenance and listed dozens of accidents. It said the refinery had 222 accidents in 2011, including 100 fires mostly caused by breaks and leaks in pipes carrying combustible liquids. |
| Critics say that in addition to refinery failures, PDVSA's operations have suffered from the firing of nearly 18,000 oil workers in 2003 – about 45% of the payroll – after they joined a strike called by Chávez's political opponents to press demands that the president resign. | Critics say that in addition to refinery failures, PDVSA's operations have suffered from the firing of nearly 18,000 oil workers in 2003 – about 45% of the payroll – after they joined a strike called by Chávez's political opponents to press demands that the president resign. |
| Chávez died in March after 14 years in power. | Chávez died in March after 14 years in power. |
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