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.
Much before Reuters "discovered" in an "exclusive" some of the corruption associated with Alex Saab, his Colombian lawyer, Abelardo de la Espriella, went to battle with Revista Semana, one of Colombia's most prestigious political affairs magazine.
Didn't take very long for leaks about Venezuela's new found love for Turkish delight to arrive. The latest involves Venezuela's Supreme Court Chief, Maikel Moreno, landing today in a GV (N863MF) in Istanbul's Atatürk airport. Moreno's travel companion is, reportedly, Debora Menicucci. There's a number of questions that pop to mind, the most important being: just how can Moreno afford to travel in such luxury? Who picked up that tab?
There's been quite a lot of chatter lately with respect to Venezuela - Turkey relations. Gossip has it that it's due to economic sanctions imposed by the U.S. government on the Nicolas Maduro regime. Some say the trade balance will jump from under $100 million a year to over $2 billion, as per Maduro and Erdogan's new found friendship. Aside from Maduro's very own visit with the Turkish meat-cutting clown upon return from China, sources report that Maikel Moreno, Venezuela's Supreme Court Chief, is also a regular visitor. Moreno's business in Turkey remains to be described.
Little to add to document 47 in docket of criminal case no. 18-20685 (see below) related to United States of America v Francisco Convit Guruceaga, one of the principals of a criminal gang known as Derwick Associates.
OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro described best the actions of Spain's former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero vis-a-vis Venezuela, when he said recently that Zapatero was "an imbecile". Almagro said that someone who needs seven clarifications to understand something must be an imbecile. Almagro does not know, though assumes as everyone else, that Zapatero is an apologist for Nicolas Maduro's regime, working hard towards keeping Maduro's criminal organization in power.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury added today to its Venezuela-related Designations (SDN list) a number of chavistas (see below). It is worth highlighting that Cilia Flores, partner of Nicolas Maduro, is the true power behind the chavista regime. Jorge and Delcy Rodriguez are also key players in chavismo's power structure.
When it comes to Venezuela's corruption, this site has become a reference. Nowadays, we see banks (compliance departments), insurance companies, law enforcement, law firms, and international media playing catch up, devouring some of the stuff posted here over the years. It is quite unfortunate -and unethical- that stories first published here end up as exclusives, without attribution, in traditional media.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Rafael Ramirez, former concurrent Energy Minister and CEO of Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), basically managed Venezuela's income between 2004-2014. While at the helm of PDVSA, over $1.2 trillion got past his hands. Ramirez is even on the record, admitting that he oversaw transfers between PDVSA and the Venezuelan State worth some $480 billion.
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