By JOSHUA GOODMAN
Associated Press Writer

MIAMI (AP) - Family members of six American oil executives jailed in Venezuela are accusing Nicolas Maduro’s government of “forced disappearance” after they were inexplicably missing for the scheduled start of their trial on Wednesday. Lawyers for the executives from Houston-based Citgo had been waiting at a Caracas courthouse for more than 6 hours for the men to be transferred by the nation's intelligence police. The men were detained in 2017 after being lured to Caracas for a business meeting. They are awaiting trial on corruption charges stemming from a never executed plan to refinance some $4 billion in Citgo bonds by offering a 50% stake in the company as collateral. The Trump administration has repeatedly called for their release.

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