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.

Latest

Twitter blocks @alekboyd, censors information on rampant corruption.

It seems that for Twitter, some users are more equal than others, some private information is more equal than other. Some telephone numbers are more equal than others... I remember vividly the break into my apartment, threats to my children, theft of laptops and pictures obtained through illegal surveillance that lasted months, and that were posted on Twitter, without problem. I remember the impersonation in Twitter accounts depicting me as a racist, and baseless defamation that followed suggesting as I was pedophile.

Canada sanctions Venezuela: will it help?

Canada announced a new set of sanctions on 43 individuals two days ago (see below). There's a few interesting names in there, folk linked to chavista repressive apparatus, First Lady, armed forces and intelligence, Venezuela's Treasury, judiciary, telecoms (CONATEL), mining, governors -one Rafael Lacava associated to Boston Group... The ones this site is interested the most are those linked to PDVSA. That's where Reinaldo Muñoz Pedroza slots in.

[UPDATED] Hugo Carvajal arrested in Madrid on drug trafficking charges

Former chavista intelligence chief Hugo Carvajal -travelling as Adolfo Jose Mourinho- was arrested yesterday in Madrid. Spanish sources report Carvajal had arrived in Spain (from the Dominican Republic) back in March. Sources familiar with Carvajal's arrest report that while his identity was fake the Venezuelan passport used was legitimate. Spain had been informed of an international arrest warrant (drug trafficking) pending on Carvajal in September 2018.

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.

Message to Treasury: it's Cubametales stupid!

The U.S. Department of the Treasury (bless them) issued fresh sanctions against PDVSA last Friday. A number of tug boats (34) and one oil tanker were added to the list. Targeting the parasitic Cuban dictatorship is paramount to bring an end to chavismo in Venezuela, and there is no better way than disrupting, or altogether stopping, continued transfer of oil to Raul Castro.

Venezuela's debt problem

$1,305,592,000,000 (please have this number in mind -one trillion, three hundred and five billion, five hundred and ninety-two million dollars- as you read through). Two very charitable chaps from Cleary Gottlieb, Richard J. Cooper and Mark A. Walker, have published a paper on Venezuela's debt, entitled "Venezuela's Restructuring: A Path Forward" (see below with added comments). It is work that shows the kinds of problems a future administration will have to deal with ($191.4 billion debt) in terms of pleasing the country's creditors.

Geneva prosecutor charges Helsinge with corruption, money laundering. Alek Boyd Mon, 03/25/2019 - 04:30

Silvain Besson reported yesterday in the Tribune of Geneva that Helsinge -the shell controlled by Francisco Morillo, Leonardo Baquero and Daniel Lutz- has been charged by Geneva prosecutor Johan Droz with corruption, money laundering and data theft.