Spanish academic says Venezuela government appointment an error

A leftist Spanish academic hailed as the "Jesus Christ of economics" by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said this week's announcement of his appointment to help the South American nation's government manage shortages was a mistake. Venezuela had said Alfredo Serrano, who has close links to Spain's anti-austerity party Podemos, was joining a new body of civilians and military officers tapped by Maduro to fix food distribution problems amid a deep economic crisis. "I was never the person who f