One of Juan Guaido’s financiers is involved in the embezzlement of US$1.2 billion, an amount which was laundered through false real estate and security deals.
Venezuela’s Communication Minister Jorge Rodriguez Thursday informed that international media have disclosed data on the links between opposition lawmaker Juan Guaido and Alejandro Betancourt, who is being investigated by the United States justice for money laundering.
In August 2019, Reuters reported on a meeting at El Castillo del Alamin, a luxury estate in Madrid Spain, where Alejandro Betancourt, President Donald Trump’s lawyer Rudolph Giuliani, Ukrainian businessman Lev Parnas, and Juan Guaido’s father would have attended.
“Betancourt told Giuliani he secretly helped bankroll Guaido’s efforts to take over the leadership of Venezuela,” Reuters reported.
“Betancourt hoped those bona fides would enable Giuliani to persuade Trump’s Justice Department to drop its probe of Betancourt in connection with a Florida money laundering and bribery case.”
A month later, according to Reuters’ sources, Giuliani urged U.S. Justice Department prosecutors to go easy on Betancourt, for this Venezuelan businessman had assisted in Guaido’s political efforts and, therefore, he was doing “good work” for the United States.
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“Trump’s personal lawyer, Giuliani asked for legal leniency for a Venezuelan businessman -who is under investigation in the U.S.- for his support of Guaido, according to Reuters.”
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In November 2019, the Washington Post published that Giuliani was part of lawyers who were defending Betancourt in the trial against him for a US$1.2-billion laundering operation.
“The existence of the U.S. criminal probe of Betancourt was confirmed,” Reuters held and added that he is involved in “embezzling US$1.2 billion from Venezuela’s government-owned oil company PDVSA, then laundering it through schemes in Miami involving false real estate and security deals.”
Regarding this new scandal, Minister Rodriguez recalled that lawmaker Guaido is involved in the theft of Bolivarian property abroad, among which are the assets of Citgo Petroleum Corporation.
Venezuela’s far-right seeks to “appropriate as quickly as possible the funds of the Republic to activate its plans,” Rodriguez said.”
Featured image: President Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani (L) and Ukrainian businessman Lev Parnas (R) at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, U.S. Sep. 20, 2019. | Photo: Reuters
