Italy top court: Venezuela’s ex-oil czar can’t be extradited

ROME (AP) — An Italian lawyer for Venezuela’s former oil czar says Italy’s highest court has confirmed he can’t be extradited to face corruption charges at home because of his country’s record in violating human rights. He says the Court of Cassation Friday upheld a lower court’s ruling which recognized that Rafael Ramirez enjoys international protection as a refugee. Ramirez, the longtime head of Venezuela’s PDVSA state oil company, fled to Italy after falling out with President Nicolas Maduro and resigning as Venezuela’s U.N. ambassador in 2017. Soon after, Venezuela’s chief prosecutor ordered his arrest on charges of bankrupting the country’s primary source of income. Ramirez has called the Venezuelan probe a retaliation for his decision to break with Maduro.