Thursday, May 19, 2011

Corruption in Venezuela: the untouchables

Tal Cual publishes a list of ten regime figures that are widely rumored to have made obscene profits from their jobs in public administration, arguably giving public a new meaning. I have no time to translate it right now but will give you the executive summary.  There is the link and the list of those who are, for the time being, the most conspicuous corrupt thugs of the chavista regime:
  • Diosdado Cabello whose fortune woudl include at least 21 million in a Swiss account
  •  Jose Vicente Rangel Avalos who left a trail of nepotism and unpaid bills when he left Petare town hall
  • Rafael Isea who when he was in the government specialized in junk bond trading at the expense of the national treasury, nobody knowing where the "difference" went.
  • Jhonny Yanez Rangel who was linked, deeply, with all the crowd around the cash luggage seized in Buenos Aires.
  • Antonio Rodriguez San Juan, also an ex governor and also linked tot he "maletin" crowd as the one above.  Both have been receiving "paybacks" for several million dollars for approving state contracts.
  • Francico Rangel Gomez, yet another military as all but one of the above who has still to account for the 15 million paid by Crystallex, in addition of buying a Bolivar State plane with leather covered seats when the state had already perfectly functioning and adequate planes at his disposition.
  • Juan Barreto, the ex mayor of Caracas at large, financed all sorts of hanger on from the public coffers, including body guards for all sorts of people without any relationship with Caracas mayoral office, as well as financing all sorts of paramilitary groups.  Never mind the constant overpriced purchases authorized by the mayor's office.
  • Giancarlo di Martino who as a mayor of Maracaibo did all sorts of activities like the ones of Barreto.
  • Jose Vicente Rangel, ex foreign minister, ex vice president, ex defense minister, father of the above similarly named, who used his connections to promote the fortunes of a few people like his close associate Pedro Torres Ciliberto, noted banker now on the run for fraud.  Big, big fraud...
  • Ricardo Fernandez Berruecos, the former Mercal king, one of the most sudden and colossal recent fortunes, recent as of 2003.  More or less associated with all of the above including Chavez brothers.  So far he is the only one of the lot that is facing an investigation and trial.
There you have it, the ten (or 9?) untouchables, the worse cases of corruption, of notorious exposure and yet of total lack of investigation in spite of all the documented accusations made against them.

    No comments:

    Post a Comment

    Comments policy:

    1) Comments are moderated after the sixth day of publication. It may take up to a day or two for your note to appear then.

    2) Your post will appear if you follow the basic polite rules of discourse. I will be ruthless in erasing, as well as those who replied to any off rule comment.


    Followers