Message to INFODIO readers: investigative journalism, which is what this site does, takes lots of time. Visiting media looking for a quick run down on Venezuela's gargantuan corruption, have the decency to at least cite the source when plagiarising this site's content without attribution (exhibit Reuters here and here, exhibit Bloomberg here, exhibit OCCRP here). To all readers, do the right thing, the honest thing: support independent investigative journalism, help us expose rampant corruption. Note added 28/06/2021: impostors are using INFODIO's former editor's full name, and a fake email address (alek.boyd.arregui at gmail.com) to send copyright infringement claims / take down requests to web hosting companies (exhibit Hostgator). The attempt is yet another effort paid by corrupt thugs to erase information about their criminal activities. Infodio.com has no issues with other websites / journalists using / posting information published here, so long as the source is properly cited.

U.S. government warns Repsol about PDVSA

About a month ago, Reliance let it be known that it was to halt diluent exports to Venezuela... from its U.S. based subsidiaries. Before Reliance's announcement, sources had informed this site that Brian Ballard had been retained to lobby in Mukesh Ambani's favour with the Trump administration. Ambani seeks lifting of sanctions, so his business can keep booming at Venezuela's expense. A set of PDVSA shipping data obtained by this site shows that, between 24 Feb - 16 Mar, Reliance lifted 7,600,000 barrels of Venezuelan crude.

The list of companies still lifting crude from Venezuela has decreased dramatically, a sign of how effective the sanctions regime has been. Aside from Reliance, CNPC, and Rosneft, which get the lion share of PDVSA crude exports nowadays, there's only a handful of other companies left getting crude cargoes: Essar, Trafigura, MS International & Corp S.A., Sahara Energy and Cubametales.

In the meanwhile, someone has got to fill in the void left by Reliance re diluents. PDVSA sources inform that Spain's Repsol and Rosneft have taken the task, which might have been the reason why Elliot Abrams said in a recent visit to Spain that the U.S. government was looking into Repsol's activities. Abrams reportedly said that European countries should also look into the activities of the Boliburgeoisie, given how this class of utterly corrupt thugs are allowed to launder hundreds of millions of dollars stolen from Venezuela.

Spain is the perfect exhibit, for not only money laundering is rampant and it involves banks, authorities, law firms, jet set, etc., furthermore, the Spanish government's policy of turning a blind eye goes beyond mere disregard towards anti money laudering laws. Well known boligarchs and chavistas are welcomed and are getting citizenship and residencies. Refusal to comply with U.S. extradition requests involving folks wanted by DoJ is another aspect. Spain is actively undermining not only U.S. sanctions regime against chavismo, but seems to want to replace the U.S. as Venezuela's corrupt favourite destination. Madrid is the new Miami...

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