Attorney General Exposes Billion-Dollar Corruption Plot Involving Venezuelan Opposition Leaders

Attorney General Tarek William Saab of Venezuela unveiled during a press conference that exiled opposition leaders Leopoldo Lopez and Julio Borges received over a billion dollars in benefits through corrupt contractors involved in the ‘Pdvsa-Cripto’ scheme. The investigation into this corruption plot, which began in March 2023, exposed the role of former Oil Minister Tareck El Aissami, who is currently imprisoned.

Saab presented a video where businessman Samark López, also in detention and accused of being a frontman for El Aissami, revealed that between 2020 and 2022, PDVSA leaders and some board members continued to allocate oil to contractors hidden behind Spanish companies. These contractors were linked to political parties such as Justice First (PJ) and Popular Will (VP), to which Borges and López belonged, respectively.

According to López’s confession, profits from Venezuelan trade were used to finance political activities through commissions and handouts. The ‘Pdvsa-Cripto’ plot involved officials assigning crude oil loads without administrative controls, selling products below market value, and redirecting profits to individuals involved in criminal activities.

Saab highlighted that stolen public funds from this scheme were utilized for financial and real estate speculation, with commissions charged throughout the marketing process. On April 29, he connected opposition figures Carlos Vecchio and Carlos Ocariz to this political conspiracy linked to ‘PDVSA-Crypto’, which colluded with the United States to undermine Venezuela’s economy and devalue the national currency, the bolivar.

The aim of the plot was to destabilize the Venezuelan government and its economic policies, leading to the failure of measures implemented by the Executive. Saab called for a new arrest warrant and extradition request for López and Borges, who are currently in exile, to hold them accountable for their involvement in this corruption scandal.

Investigations have revealed that these corrupt officials assigned crude oil loads without any administrative checks or balances whatsoever. They then sold products below market value while redirecting profits towards individuals involved in criminal activities such as drug trafficking and money laundering.

The evidence presented by Saab has shown that stolen public funds were used for financial speculation on foreign markets while also being used for purchasing luxury goods such as yachts and expensive cars.

This corruption scandal has had far-reaching consequences on Venezuela’s economy as it has led to a devaluation of its national currency – the bolivar – making it increasingly difficult for citizens to purchase basic goods like food and medicine.

It is important that those responsible are held accountable for their actions so that we can restore peace