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.

March 2021

[UPDATED] Who needs lawyers, when there's Swiss authorities? Exhibit Alex Saab

When it comes to the chavista universe of the phenomenally corrupt, Alex Saab has a special place. The seat of honor has his name tag. A Colombian, who didn’t have two pennies to rub together only a decade ago, lands in Venezuela with narcosenator Piedad Córdoba, and in the space of 5 years becomes Nicolas Maduro and Cilia Flores' most trusted consigliere. Saab has put the entire class of Venezuelan Boligarchs to shame. Venezuela is his turf.

DoJ bitch-slaps Alex Saab & Baker & Hostetler

A propos of news yesterday from Cape Verde regarding extradition of Alex Saab, recall Baker & Hostetler idiotic claims about Alex Saab's 'diplomatic immunity', and how such immunity exonerates him not only from jurisdiction of U.S. courts but from criminal prosecution altogether? Well, the U.S. Department of Justice's (DoJ) response to it (see pdf below) is akin to a bitch-slap.

What's the deal between MBaer Merchant Bank and Treasury-sanctioned Alessandro Bazzoni?

Quoting from source: "MBaer Merchant Bank AG is majority-owned by Swiss investors, while other groups of shareholders are based in Asia and the Middle East. The shareholders include numerous private investors, above all entrepreneurs who are also our clients and are themselves widely connected." [bold added] Frank Glundler is the Chief Compliance Officer of Mbaer Merchant Bank AG.

Nicolas Maduro outchavezes Hugo Chavez

A well known trope in Venezuela is that Hugo Chavez was the most charismatic politician, and that Nicolas Maduro was just the loyal fool handpicked to continue the "Bolivarian Revolution". When Chavez's death was announced, nobody gave Maduro much of a chance. The thinking was that he was no Chavez, that he didn't have what it took. Maduro has been massively underestimated. For years. Yet he can easily claim to be the shrewdest, more so than even Chavez, whose time in power was aided by the largest oil windfall ever received.