Basil Shiblaq's Venezuela gold deal: decades in the making
In early February 2009, an email reached inbox of Felix Plasencia, Venezuela's current Minister of Foreign Affairs:
Message to INFODIO readers: investigative journalism, which is what this site does, takes lots of time and effort. Visiting media looking for a quick run down on Venezuela's gargantuan corruption, pls have the decency to at least cite the source when plagiarising this site's content without attribution (exhibit Reuters here, exhibit Bloomberg here, exhibit OCCRP here). To all readers: do the right thing, the honest thing, support independent investigative journalism. 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. 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. Note added 12/06/2026: infodio.com has not created mirror websites / domains and remains totally independent and unrelated to others. Beware of websites using our brand.
In early February 2009, an email reached inbox of Felix Plasencia, Venezuela's current Minister of Foreign Affairs:
Justice isn't about fairness. It isn't a system where victims can exact revenge on their tormentors, and it is not the place where serious crime is punished in appropriate measure. There are many examples where America's Justice has settled with offenders, in exchange for something. The criteria by which that something is weighted at time of reducing, or altogether eliminating, jail time remains a mystery. There isn't a table, or a set series of parameters guiding actions of the judiciary when criminals decide to "cooperate".
See UPDATE below - How it started: "Conozcan a Alex Saab, bolichico colombiano", 24 October 2013. English version here.
How it's going: "Alex Saab Moran Mugshot | 10/16/21 Florida Arrest"
In the latest episode of Alex Saab's saga, we learn that his counsel is using a ruling by Swiss "prosecutor" Endri Gega to quash extradition from Cape Verde to face criminal charges brought by U.S. Department of Justice. Just have a listen to what Gega has to say about his role: