Extension of Citgo protection would benefit creditors-Venezuela candidate Machado

An extension in the U.S. Treasury Department's protection of Houston-based refiner Citgo Petroleum would benefit creditors and the U.S. government, Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Maria Corina Machado said on Friday during an interview.

Protection of the company is set to expire in April and a U.S. court in January approved claims by 17 Venezuela-linked creditors, including ConocoPhillips, Rusoro Mining and Koch Industries, to get proceeds from a coming auction of shares in the parent of Citgo, to satisfy claims for expropriations and debt defaults.