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Norway's Handelsbanken & Ultima Management helping Maduro / PDVSA circumvent U.S. sanctions
Just going to leave this in here, for future reference:
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.
July 2019
Indicted by DoJ, sanctioned by Treasury, Alex Saab's corruption to test Ivan Duque's gov
Yesterday, Treasury sanctioned Alex Saab, while a DoJ's Grand Jury in South Florida indicted him and partner-in-crime Alvaro Pulido Vargas a/k/a German Rubio (see indictment below). This site took an interest in Alex Saab back in July 2013. I recall having been in touch with Ecuadorian journalist Gabriela Quiroz in the course of my research. At the time, Saab was involved in a multimillion-dollar racket with SUCRE, a regional currency exchange mechanism set up by Hugo Chavez and his socialist allies.
Rafael Ramirez's $20bn lie
Check out Rafael Ramirez upon being sacked from U.N. diplopost in New York, 7 December 2017, about PDVSA transfers to the State under his watch:
Now, read Ramirez's claim on same topic, 14 July 2019:
Gorrin, Betancourt, Convit to "liberate" Venezuela
Raul Gorrin Belisario, it could be argued, is the one boligarch with access to circles that matter in Venezuela: presidency, supreme court, army, intelligence, and boliburgeoisie. As such, he was right in the thick of an "arranged" coup, whereby Juan Guaido and boss Leopoldo Mandela were going to topple Nicolas Maduro. Trump administration officials were au courrant, encouraging the enterprise. Venezuela's Supreme Court Chief, Maikel Moreno, arguably an employee of Gorrin, was in on it. Vladimir Padrino, Venezuela's National Armed Forces boss, also took part.
UPDATE2: New player Procerium Energy to lift PDVSA oil
UPDATED 14/07/2019* - 16/07/2019* | In the ever evolving game of chicken between PDVSA and U.S. sanctions regime, a new player emerges: Singapore's PROCERIUM ENERGY PTE. LTD. (201732917R).
Who's behind play on Venezuela's debt?
Check out the stuff below. Further, let's give it the benefit of the doubt. So an "unidentified buyer" buys "several hundred million" worth of otherwise useless debt. We are not told who traded / transacted this either. Almost simultaneously, Guaidó's debt people announced that all debt will be treated equally, that IMF will be asked for help, and funds, and that Venezuela will renegotiate the lot without regard to whether some creditors have favourable rulings. So let's venture a few guesses.
Trump's Venezuela policy is a monumental failure
It's got be said: Donald Trump's administration's policy vis-a-vis Venezuela is a monumental failure. It epitomises the saying "empiezan con brío y terminan con escalofrío." By now it is clear that its intended original goal, of removing Nicolas Maduro, has not only failed its objective, but has rallied Russia, China, Cuba, Turkey, Canada, Lima Group and most countries in Europe into an overtly anti Trump's "all options are on the table", baseless stance on acceptable and achievable solutions for Venezuela.