May 2019

Gotham City reports today that the Department of Justice sent an information request (MLAT) to Swiss counterparts, regarding Comercializadora San Roque S.A., a Panamanian shell controlled by the Urdaneta Aqui clan related to Carmelo Urdaneta Aqui (former Legal Counsel to the Venezuelan Ministry of Oil and Mining), involved in the

Yesterday, the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations announced passage of VERDAD, an act to "confront the crisis in Venezuela." In all the years I've been reporting on Venezuela's gargantuan corruption, this is the most promising action yet.

"Norway commends the parties for their efforts. We reiterate our willingness to continue supporting the search for a peaceful solution for the country." That's part of the official statement.

Venezuela has been producing incredible amounts of stories lately, about uprisings, arrangements with chavista officials, about Russian and American mercenaries, about meetings, about how Maduro has a plane waiting to leave with Cilia, about how billions of dollars looted from the country will be recovered by friends of Leopoldo and Guaidó, about military invasions, about the debt... There are parties that would like to see Guaido fail, so they have a chance to recoup some of the money. There are parties that are gearing up for years of litigation.

Hugo Carvajal in Spain and the U.S. Javier Alvarado Ochoa in Spain, Andorra, the U.S, Venezuela. Alex Saab, German Rubio (aka Alvaro Pulido) and Abelardo de la Espriella in Colombia, the U.S. Rafael Ramirez in the U.S., Portugal, Andorra, Spain. Fidel Ramirez in the U.S. Eudomario Carruyo in Andorra. Rafael Reiter, Alejandro Isturiz and Luis Carlos de Leon in Spain. Glenn Simpson, Peter Fritsch and Tom Catan in the U.S. Frank Holder in the U.S. Diego Salazar in Andorra, Brazil. Nervis Villalobos in Spain, Andorra, U.S., Venezuela, Portugal. Francisco Convit in the U.S. and Spain.

Great news this morning out of Spain: Javier Alvarado Ochoa, former chief of CORPOELEC and BARIVEN, godfather of Derwick Associates in granting no-bid contracts worth hundreds of millions and partner in crime of Rafael Ramirez and Nervis Villalobos, got arrested yesterday in Madrid on corruption and bribe payment charges.

It started before dawn. Juan Guaido, flanked by Leopoldo Lopez, were around La Carlota (military airport in East Caracas). Guaido made calls to transition and the start of "Operación Libertad". Lopez shouldn't have been there. House arrest conditions under SEBIN's watch meant that his symbolic presence had -at the very least- been allowed by SEBIN higher beings. Guaido and Lopez were surrounded by army, which meant some level of support. They were there, right by La Carlota for hours, i.e. whatever military contingent based in La Carlota did not attack, seek arrests.