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SULLIVAN & CROMWELL LLP
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New York, New York 10004-2498
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LOS ANGELES • PALO ALTO • WASHINGTON, D.C.
BRUSSELS • FRANKFURT • LONDON • PARIS
BEIJING • HONG KONG • TOKYO
MELBOURNE • SYDNEY
July 17, 2020
Hon. Thomas F. Hogan,
United States District Judge,
United States District Court for the District of Columbia,
Washington, D.C. 20001.
Re: Vestey Group Ltd. v. Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, 1:18-cv-
1456-TFH
Dear Judge Hogan:
We have been retained by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to advise
it with respect to the above-captioned case pending before Your Honor. We have been in
discussions with plaintiffs regarding a potential resolution of the complaint and plaintiffs'
counsel yesterday alerted us to Your Honor's invitation on June 9, 2020 to the former
Special Attorney General of Venezuela, José Ignacio Hernández, to advise by July 15,
2020, whether the Republic would enter its appearance in the case. I regret to say that we
had overlooked this document, and it appears that Mr. Hernández did not receive it
because the consulate in New York and Embassy in Washington to which it was
addressed have been closed due to the extraordinary political turmoil in Venezuela.We are not authorized to enter an appearance at this time, and we
respectfully request a short extension until August 6, 2020, of the date for the Republic to
decide how it proposes to proceed. This should allow us to complete our discussions
with plaintiffs and for the recently appointed new Special Attorney General to consider
how to proceed.
Respectfully submitted,
Signature
Joseph E. Neuhaus
cc (via ECF): Counsel of record