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Crystallex International Corporation is a Canadian-based gold company with a successful record of developing and operating gold mines in Venezuela and elsewhere in South America

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Message: Venezuela Interim Prez Taking Charge of U.S. Litigation

Arnold & Porter switched camps a couple of weeks ago as legal rep for Venezuela (Guaido) in the Rusuro legal action against the country to collect its ICSID Award. Veneble was then hired to represent Maduro and asked the court to recognize them as the legitimate rep for Venezuela. Veneble just requested its withdrawal from the case, as indicated below. 

Similar to what happened with Rusoro, the Venezuela / Guaido legal rep asked the 3rd. District Court of Appeals to stay the country's appeal to the attachment and sale of the CITGO shares for 120 days to be able to analyze the case.

So, we will most likely not hear anything about the Crystallex claim for another 120 days.

Venable Leaves Role As Maduro Rep In $1.2B Award Appeal

https://www.law360.com/articles/1137759/venable-leaves-role-as-maduro-rep-in-1-2b-award-appeal

The Big Law dispute over who represents the rightful leader of Venezuela has seemingly come to an end.

In a Monday court filing, Venable attorneys representing the government of  Nicolas Maduro submitted a withdrawal of appearance notice in a U.S. federal court case.

The case has acted as a proxy for the dispute over Venezuela’s leadership between Venable and Arnold & Porter, who is representing Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido.

“The Clerk of the Court is hereby requested to withdraw the appearance of Moxila A. Upadhyaya, Michael B. MacWilliams, and Venable LLP as counsel to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela,” the firm wrote in court filings.

Last month, in court filings dated Feb. 12, Arnold & Porter argued that since Guaido had been recognized by the United States as Venezuela’s leader, they should represent Venezuela in a case involving a demand by a Canadian gold producer for compensation tied to Venezuela’s expropriation of its property.

On Feb. 22, Venable filed a response to the motion for a stay on behalf of Venezuela’s attorney general of the republic, Reinaldo Muoz Pedroza, objecting to the idea that ”the Republic has no right to participate in these proceedings by virtue of President Trump’s official statement.”

On Feb. 28, Arnold & Porter attorneys Kent Yalowitz and E. Whitney Debevoise moved to strike the response to the motion of stay, disputing Venable’s claim to rightful representation of Venezuela.

Arnold & Porter has long represented Venezuelan leaders, dating back to 1984, according to U.S. Department of Justice filings under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The firm jumped to Guaido after U.S. President Donald Trump and 50 countries recognized Guaido as the de facto leader of Venezuela.
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