Tag Archives: MLB

Nov
10
2011
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ICYMI: Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos kidnapped in Venezuela

Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos kidnapped in Venezuela

The Washington Post

By Adam Kilgore and Juan Forero

Wilson Ramos, one of the Washington Nationals’ most promising young baseball players, was kidnapped at gunpoint Wednesday night from his family’s home in Venezuela, leaving the team in a state of shock and raising questions about the safety of playing in a country ravaged in recent years by kidnappings and street crime.

The 24-year-old Ramos, the starting catcher for the Nationals, had returned to his native country for the winter and planned to participate in roughly 10 games for his Venezuelan winter league team, the Aragua Tigers, starting Thursday.

He is one of the Nationals’ best players, a rookie this past season who supplanted likely future Hall of Famer Ivan Rodriguez, his childhood idol, as the Nationals’ regular catcher.

Wednesday evening, four armed men arrived at Ramos’s mother’s house in the Santa Ines sector of the central city of Valencia, and took Ramos away, according to multiple news reports out of Venezuela.

“It’s true, Wilson Ramos was kidnapped 40 minutes ago,” Katherine Vilera, spokeswoman for the Tigers, said in a statement Wednesday evening. She said that Venezuela’s judicial police, the CICPC, were investigating.

“The CICPC are up on this and were going to his house in Santa Ines,” she said. “They took him from his house.”

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Sep
30
2011
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In Case You Missed It… Articles Roundup Week of 9/30/11

In this week’s roundup… Settlement talks between U.S. companies and Chávez government over expropriated assets are unlikely, as two more American firms file arbitration claims against Venezuela before the World Bank’s International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID); Meanwhile, the Venezuelan government announces yet another expropriation; Chávez strikes out with Major League Baseball; Venezuela’s prisons are among the most dangerous in the continent; and Chávez tries to silence rumors about his health in his usual flair.

Venezuela Again Rejects Oil Settlement Talks, The Wall Street Journal

Venezuelan Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez on Tuesday rejected talk that his government was planning to settle with companies like Exxon Mobil Corp. and ConocoPhillips outside of official arbitration proceedings for compensation for projects nationalized by President Hugo Chavez nearly four years ago.

Helmerich Sues Venezuela Over Seized Drilling Rigs, The Wall Street Journal

Helmerich & Payne  Inc. has filed a lawsuit against Venezuela over the 2010 government takeover of 11 drilling rigs belonging to the Oklahoma-based oil-services company.

Owens Illinois hits Venezuela with arbitration claim, Reuters

U.S. bottle maker Owens Illinois (OI.N) has filed a claim for arbitration against Venezuela at a World Bank tribunal after President Hugo Chavez nationalized its operations in October last year.

US glass container maker Owens-Illinois seeks arbitration in Venezuela expropriation dispute, The Washington Post

U.S.-based glass container manufacturer Owens-Illinois Inc. said Wednesday it is seeking international arbitration in a dispute with Venezuela over the expropriation of two factories in the South American nation.

Chavez orders nationalization of ferry company, The Associated Press

President Hugo Chavez has ordered the nationalization of Venezuela’s largest ferry company. Chavez says the company, Conferrys, has failed to upgrade its vessels, causing delays and poor service from the eastern city of Puerto La Cruz to Margarita Island.

Venezuela gov’t strikes out with big league, Reuters

Baseball and President Hugo Chavez are both popular in Venezuela, but uncertainty about his policies is prompting major league teams to stop investing here while developing their Dominican Republic training camps.

Guillen says he’s no fan of Chavez, The Associated Press via The Sacramento Bee

Ninety minutes into Ozzie Guillen’s first media session as manager of the Florida Marlins, the subject turned to politics – specifically, fellow countryman Hugo Chavez.

Venezuela’s Prison Chief Says No New Facilities Needed, The Wall Street Journal

The head of Venezuela’s recently created prison ministry, which was formed earlier this year in the wake of a bloody inmate riot at a notoriously overcrowded facility, said in an interview published Tuesday that building more prisons is not necessary. “

Hugo Chávez tries to silence health rumors with his usual flair, The Christian Science Monitor

Hugo Chávez assembled reporters to his palace and played ball, after a Miami-based newspaper suggested the spirited Venezuelan President was on his last legs.