Diosdado Cabello calls for investigation into Derwick Associates "dodgy deals"

Diosdado Cabello is Venezuela's no 2. His words about Derwick Associates were (from 0.18' onwards): "esos Sres que hicieron negocios raros que tienen que investigarse hasta la última consecuencia." Translation: these people [Derwick Associates] that made dodgy deals must be thoroughly investigated. Cabello was talking about Miguel Henrique Otero, owner of daily El Nacional, and how Otero has been extorting money from different people, Derwick's bolichicos included.

I can't say I'm impressed by Cabello's words. The man has about the same credibility of a Johan Hari, or a Sean Penn. In addition to that he is alleged to be the head of "Cartel de los Soles", a drug trafficking cartel. However, that doesn't detract from the fact that he seems to be willing to throw former business partners to the wolves. Derwick Associates paid bribes to obtain 12 procurement contracts for power generation. Cabello was one recipient of Derwick's bribes. Some say up to $50 million. In any case, there's a recording of one Derwick executive -Francisco D'Agostino- admitting that bribes were paid.

Cabello knew of Derwick's subcontractor, Missouri-based Pro Energy Services (PES). Majed Khalil Mazjoub, one of Cabello's frontmen, was already dealing with, and getting bribes from PES, even before Derwick came on the scene. What happened was simply an exchange of corrupt middlemen.

New York Southern District Attorney Preet Bharara is meant to be investigating Derwick Associates, in the context of an allegedly larger investigation into corruption at Petroleos de Venezuela. So what we have here is Venezuela's number 2 calling for an investigation on the same thugs currently being probed by New York authorities and other Federal Agencies in the U.S.A.

Crucially, to me at least, is that Cabello's probe calls have put to rest Derwick's preposterous allegations that investigations into their affairs are nothing but a "defamation campaign" started by me. While chavista websites have suddenly found my investigations worth reprinting, no reasonable person will ever believe that Diosdado Cabello says, or acts, according to my diktats, or based on information published in this website.

Sources revealed a while ago that, in their desperate attempt to avoid impending indictments, Derwick execs are collaborating with U.S. authorities. It is odd, to say the very least, that Roberto Rincon and Abraham Shiera are in jail in America for having done exactly the same thing that Derwick Associates did (payment of bribes to PDVSA staff, money laundering, etc.), and yet, Derwick folk are free. To put it differently, Texas and Florida prosecutors have found enough FCPA violations and corruption related to Venezuela to prosecute and jail people, where New York authorities seem to see none, por ahora...