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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.
pdvsa
In the context of a bribes payment criminal probe by the U.S. Department of Justice involving Brazil's Petrobras Trafigura admitted guilt, dusting off its deceased founder and former CEO Claude Dauphin.
The Houthis have been in the news recently for their spectacular hijacking of Galaxy Leader cargo vessel in the Red Sea. A known financier of Houthi rebels is Sa’id al-Jamal, described by the U.S.
Further to media announcements in late September about development of Dragon Field by Trinidad and Venezuela, the Maduro government is yet to give any indication as to what was signed and how the deal, which has to comply with U.S. Treasury's sanctions, will structure a non-cash paying mechanism to Venezuela. Deals of this nature signed by the Executive only become official, as far as current Venezuelan law is concerned, once Congress approves and orders publication in Official Gazette. That is yet to happen.
An "anti graft" drive was launched by Nicolas Maduro in March this year, after "realising" that Tareck El Aissami was, like all its predecessors, looting PDVSA and billions of dollars were unaccounted for. El Aissami was removed and hasn’t been seen since. Pedro Tellechea, PDVSA's new CEO, is meant to be driving a clean up operation that won't leave a stone unturned in its "fight against corruption". For instance, Wilmer Ruperti's petcoke contracts have been scrutinised.
The claim that Venezuela had the "world's largest oil reserves" went viral during Hugo Chavez's presidency. It is a very convenient claim, from a geopolitical and economic viewpoint. It somehow makes the country more relevant. Chavez nurtured and repeated the legend every time he could. It became one of those revolutionary mantras that everyone regurgitates without question, like the lie that Venezuela was declared an "illiteracy free territory" by UNESCO.
Take a look at this Ponzi scheme: it is said to be Spain's largest, €3 billion that belonged to 300,000 people vanished.
El Nacional reported yesterday, without giving much detail, that Alessandro Bazzoni is the ultimate beneficiary owner of United Petroleo, a Panamanian shell that has been lifting hundreds of millions of dollars worth of PDVSA crude in the recent past.
A ruling from Judge Leonard P. Stark of U.S. District Court in Delaware (case Rusoro Mining Ltd. v. Bolivarian Rep. of Venezuela, 21-mc-00481-LPS) claims that Juan Guaidó had objected to the sale by Nicolas Maduro's regime of a 35% stake that PDVSA had in Nynas. This site has covered extensively Nynas's reorganisation process.
Brothers Ricardo and Santiago Moron Hernandez, proxies for Nicolas Ernesto Maduro Guerra (son of Nicolas Maduro) have elbowed Alejandro Betancourt, fugitive Francisco Convit and their FSB associates from Petrozamora.
Since Joshua Goodman blew the lid off OFAC-busting shenanigans that were taking place between Venezuela, Curaçao and a bunch of shell companies in Panama, Luis Giusti's international standing has been in free fall. To recap: "Colon (IMO 9503574) lifted 600,000 barrels of fuel oil from PDVSA's Amuay and delivered to Isla refinery on September 28th 2022.