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Ronaldo Schemidt's shot of a protester on fire during clashes with police in Venezuela was selected by the jury as one of the six best photos of the year. He was also nominated in the “Spot Singles” category with the same photo. Ronaldo Schemidt, a Venezuelan national, started working with AFP in 2004; he joined the Mexico City bureau in 2006 and is now based there. He has covered a number of events, including the Copa America in Argentina, World Cup in Brazil and the struggle against drug traffickers in Mexico.

Juan Barreto was also rewarded for his coverage of the Venezuelan conflict. His series, featuring the same protester on fire, is one of the three shortlisted in the “Spot Stories” category. The Venezuelan photographer joined the Agency in 1999 and covers current affairs in the region: political crises, presidential elections, the earthquake in Haiti, sporting events, etc. He is based in the Caracas bureau and covers the Venezuelan crisis continuously.

Oli Scarff was nominated in the “Sport Singles” category for a photograph taken during the “Royal Shrovetide football” match, a traditional blend of football and rugby played once a year by the people of Ashbourne, a village in central England. Based in the Manchester area, Oli Scarff joined AFP in 2014 after working for the Daily Telegraph and then Getty Images. He covers the news in the north of England.

About AFP:
AFP is a global news agency delivering fast, accurate, in-depth coverage of the events shaping our world from conflicts to politics, economics, sports, entertainment and the latest breakthroughs in health, science and technology. With 2,400 staff spread across almost every country, AFP covers the world 24 hours a day in six languages. AFP delivers the news in video, text, photos, multimedia and graphics to a wide range of customers including newspapers and magazines, radio and TV channels, web sites and portals, mobile operators, corporate clients as well as public institutions.