[News] Venezuela, Crime and Punishment?

[Anti-Imperialist News]

orinocotribune.com
<https://orinocotribune.com/venezuela-crime-and-punishment/>
Venezuela, Crime and Punishment?
------------------------------
[image: "Revolution without corruption" reads this mural in Venezuela.
Photo: Venezuelanalysis.]

"Revolution without corruption" reads this mural in Venezuela. Photo:
Venezuelanalysis.

By Maria Paez Victor  –  Apr 14, 2023

During the past couple of weeks, Venezuelans have witnessed something
unheard of before in their country: many people in high-ranking government
positions have been arrested for corruption. An entire network was
discovered of public officials and private businessmen who have allegedly
robbed the nation of billions of dollars centered around three key
government enterprises, the public oil company PDVSA, the entity
supervising the cryptocurrency (SUNACRIP), and the public steel industry.

In a heartfelt address to the nation, an indignant President Nicolás Maduro
called them a mafia, and it was obvious he feels deeply betrayed by people
who up to now had his full confidence. He vowed that no stone will be left
unturned to catch all the criminals and to regain the people’s stolen
funds.  The citizens have been very attentive to the proceedings, giving
much support to the government against criminals deemed also as traitors
and demanding no impunity.

It all started last October with the discovery that government accounts
were missing $US 3 billion that should have been transferred there from
PDVSA. That was the little breadcrumb that investigators started to follow
leading to the oil company, the cryptocurrency agency, the important steel
state industry, to private businessmen, one former deputy of the National
Assembly (who had at some point been a minister), a former governor, a
mayor, and even a few judges. Up to now, near one hundred people have been
arrested awaiting trial.[1]
<https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_edn1>

Money laundering operations have been discovered and illicit goods shown on
TV: warehouses full of hundreds of brand-new automobiles, several buildings
under construction in an upper-class section of the capital, half a dozen
aeroplanes (one found stuffed with dollars) and several mansions in the
most exclusive Caracas neighborhood where,  allegedly, orgies were held and
a prostitution network maintained. Many of the accused are now confessing
and giving information to obtain leniency in their sentencing.

The National Assembly speedily passed (by unanimity) an anti-corruption law
that mirrors the Assets Forfeiture Law model promoted by the United
Nations, whereby the assets of those who have been sentenced for corruption
are returned to the state. This is important because up to now, said assets
had been auctioned off allowing lackeys of the corrupt to buy them to
safeguard them for later use or sale by the criminals. [2]
<https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_edn2> As well, the Penal
Code was modified allowing the maximum sentencing for corruption and
treason to be extended from 30 to 50 years. (Venezuela does not have a
death penalty.)

These well-placed individuals are not the first to steal from the people,
but it is the first time that in Venezuela that an operation of this
magnitude against corruption within the government files has been attempted.

Corruption has existed since the Europeans arrived at those shores,
robbing, killing, enslaving, taking all that was not theirs under grandiose
pretexts to cover their sins. But also, in later years government officials
and politicians have stolen a great deal from their own people. This is
why, with frequent corruption in the political and economic culture, it is
necessary to exert constant vigilance. To have honest judges, a nation
needs honest lawyers. To have honest politicians and officers one needs
honest citizens. As Simón Bolívar famously stated that “morals and
enlightenment” are our greatest needs.” However, this is all predicated on
an infrastructure of just laws and impartiality in their enforcement. No
one, whatever their position can be above the law.

The Bolivarian Revolution started by Hugo Chávez obtained landslide
victories at the polls because it stood against the two-party system that
ruled in Venezuela for 40 years which allowed corruption to thrive. And yet
how little this is understood outside the country. For example, a writer in
The Times Higher Education Supplement, recently stated that “…  back to the
1980s. Venezuela is by the definitions of the time among the most
prosperous countries in Latin America, and certainly one of the most
Democratic.”[3] <https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_edn3>  This
is wishful thinking on the part of those who are adverse to the socialist
Bolivarian government  The  demographic data on inequality and poverty of
that time shows that prior to the Bolivarian Revolution , Venezuela was
anything but an idyllic place as revisionist opposition people like to
think, but a veritable swamp of corruption “which was not being confronted
by the state; instead it was being encouraged and justified… Thus, one of
the main priorities of the Bolivarian Revolution, of its constituent
process, as well as of all the initiatives of the Chavista forces, was
aimed at eradicating corruption.”

[4] <https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_edn4> The supposed
“capitalist” economic system of Venezuela was reduced to a bacchanal, not
real useful production, but of individual sacking and enrichment at the
expense of the public welfare. This supposedly prosperous nation in 1999
had a poverty rate of up to 80%, despite the immense petroleum income of
the government.[5] <https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_edn5>

Not only did economic corruption flourish, but violations of human rights
were commonplace under previous governments: from 1960 to 1998
constitutional human rights were suspended 21 times.[6]
<https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_edn6> The Bolivarian
government, in contrast, has never once suspended human rights guarantees,
despite tremendous US sponsored terrorism, mercenary invasions,
cyber-attacks, and numerous coup d’état attempts.

Now the enemies of the Bolivarian government of Venezuela are
screaming: “Look at how corrupt the Chavistas are!” But those are voices of
hypocrites and liars, who have a very biased and selective memory, who
never complained about human rights violations, robbery and fraud by
previous governments led by Acción Democrática or COPEI, in which the
criminals -high ranking as they were- were not held accountable and
punished for their crimes.

Here are some alleged crimes in the pre-Chávez era that have come to light.
[7] <https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_edn7>

Alleged crimes of former presidents, who supposedly governed an idyllic
Venezuela before Chávez and Maduro:

*Carlos Andrés Pérez*, president (Acción Democrática Party): he was
impeached, and prosecuted for embezzlement of public funds, but fled the
country rather than serve his sentence:

Theft of funds destined for Nicaragua, $US 100 million

Theft of $US 400 million with purchase of the ship “Sierra Nevada”

Theft of $US 1.2 billion of communal accounts, along with his mistress
Cecilia Matos

Theft of Bs 1.8 billion at the workers’ bank (BTV) along with Carlos Ortega
president of the workers union

*Theft of Bs 600 million at the Simón Bolivar Centre relating to purchase
of busses*, along with Diego Arria.

*Theft of Bs 1 billion of cement enterprise Andino, with Williams Davila*

*Theft and* *bankruptcy of VIASA, national airline, the state lost more
than Bs 65 billion*

Theft of Bs 1.7 billion in privatizing the telephone company CANTV.

*Luis Herrera Campins*, president (COPEI Party):

Theft of $US 100 million destined for corn to Africa

Theft of Bs 90 billion in banks Progreso and Latino, along with Orlando
Castro

Theft of $US 300 billion on Black Friday increase of the dollar, along with
Leopoldo Díaz Bruzual

Theft of Bs 700 million, with Vinicio Carrera

*Jaime Lusinchi*, president, (Acción Democrática Party):

Theft of $US 180 million buying jeeps and arms for the Acción Democrática
party, with Manzo González.

Theft of Bs 122 million in RECADI (foreign exchange agency)

Theft of Bs 1.5 billion of workers’ benefits institution (INH) along with
his wife Blanca Ibáñez

*Rafael Caldera*, president (COPEI Party):

Theft of Bs 20 million in gold bars of the National Bank of Venezuela,
deposited in the Chase Manhattan bank, with Pedro Tinoco

Theft of Bs 10 billion in workers’ bank (INCRET), for workers’ vacation
city.

*Antonio Ledezma*, (Acción Democrática), presidential candidate, former
parliamentarian, former mayor of Caracas, coup plotter, escaped from
custody and lives in golden self-exile in Spain:

Theft of Bs 300 billion from building bus terminal La Bandera

Theft of Bs 5 billion from the Municipal Markets Institute

Fraud for Bs 1.5 billion per year for 20 years, with Hai-China company in
the Main Southern Cemetery

*Crime of Leopoldo Lopez*, (founder Primero Justicia party), coup plotter,
fugitive of justice having been sentenced for the death of 43 people in the
riots he provoked, darling of the extremist opposition, in golden
self-exile in Spain, stole with the help of with his mother:

Theft of Bs. 5 billion per year from PDVSA to bolster his party Primero
Justicia.

The esteemed Venezuelan historian Luis Britto Garcia points out that the
conquest was a colossal looting operation, and the grossly stratified
colonial society that ensued, left a legacy of inequality and larceny.
“With the explosion of the petroleum and mining based economy, public goods
and earnings overtook the private economy, and a batch of newly  rich and
newly corrupt people came out of the trafficking of concessions and the
milking of the state.”[8]
<https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_edn8> The previous
governments, can be accurately regarded as oligarchies, governing for the
benefit of an elite that had minimum public spirit, that absorbed all the
individualism and consumerism obsessions of capitalism, but not the minimum
work ethics or any sense of social responsibility.

But why is this corruption network operating now?  Although not having
tangible proof, there is a plausible explanation. Based on the fact that
the USA is the prime haven for Venezuelan thieves involved in the former
PDVSA, RECADI, and the banking debacle, and known coup plotters,
terrorists, and many fugitives of Venezuelan justice. They have  found
political support in the USDA which has become the place where all sorts of
conspiracies against Venezuela are plotted with US government approval. So,
it is worthwhile to note what Britto García recently says, “The way to
destroy socialism is to infiltrate its leadership with neoliberalists. As
an example: the Soviet Unión.”[9]
<https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_edn9>

Therefore, it is not too farfetched to surmise that the sinister hand of
the CIA has been corrupting, tempting, offering all sorts of incentives,
looking for the officials of lesser morality, honesty, and principles, to
try to corrupt and bring down Venezuela’s socialist government. They have
not realized, however, that the “good ones” are much more abundant than the
“bad ones”, and that the Bolivarian Revolution will not be defeated by the
hand of Judas.

The Dutch sociologist Rutger Bregman in his excellent book “Humankind”
presents overwhelming evidence “That most people, deep down, are pretty
decent.” [10]  <https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_edn10>What
happens is that the media (seeking always profit and sensationalism) and
the elites, fearful of their positions, do not really want to understand
this. Author Rebecca Solinit explains it thus: she proposes that panic and
pessimism, and we may add corruption, is abundant in unscrupulous people in
positions of power who consider humankind in their own image. That is, they
assume that the ordinary citizen behaves only according to their own
selfish interests, just as they do. They steal because they think everyone
else are thieves too. And this is not so. [11]
<https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_edn11>

The Venezuelan Bolivarian social and political transformation has been, in
its very essence, a revolution for education, for the opening of
conscience, for extending the arms of solidarity throughout society, for
the quest to liberate and construct a country that is peaceful, free and
sovereign.[12] <https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_edn12> And a
few thieves and traitors will not destroy 20 years of this broad work of
official and grassroots nation building that we have seen, time and again,
is resilient having survived,  and even flourished, in the face of illegal
and cruel US sanctions, numerous attempted coup d’états, terrorism, a
pandemic, and the malice of the empire.

Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly, has assured, “Maduro
is the president in the history of Venezuela from 1830 to date who has most
fought against administrative corruption in all of its forms.”[13]
<https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_edn13>  However, through
education, grass-roots actions, political participation, and community
organization, the fight against corruption has not just been confined to
government files, but has affected the outlook and behavior of the
citizenship itself that now has a sense of  what is owed them and what is
expected of them also.

As to the ordinary citizen’s probity today, the humble fishermen of the
tiny coastal village of Chuao are a shining example. In May 2020, with only
one rifle among them, they singlehandedly brought down the armed Colombian
and US mercenaries that sought to kill the president and overthrow the
government. When offered dollars in exchange for releasing the mercenaries,
the fishermen firmly rejected the bribe saying their integrity was more
important than any dollar.[14]
<https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_edn14> They are proof
enough of what the Bolivarian Revolution has accomplished.

The future is good for Venezuela with people like that.


*Notes. *[1] <https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_ednref1> Orinoco
Tribune, “Anti-corruption Campaign: 142 raids in last 72 hours”,
https://orinocotribune.com/anti-corruption-campaign-142-raids-in-last-72-hours/

[2] <https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_ednref2> Orinoco
Tribune, “Venezuela’s National Assembly Approves Law to Seize Assets linked
to Coruption”, 1 April 2023,
https://orinocotribune.com/venezuelas-national-assembly-approves-law-to-seize-assets-linked-to-corruption/

[3] <https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_ednref3> Alex Usher,
“Venezuelan Higher Education”, The Times Educational Supplement, 6 April 202

[4] <https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_ednref4> Jesús Farías,
“The Fight Against Corruption, the Banner of Chavismo”, Orinoco Tribune, 1
April 2023,
https://orinocotribune.com/the-fight-against-corruption-the-banner-of-chavismo/

[5] <https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_ednref5> “Venezuela
celebra 12 años de la Revolución Bolivariana”, Gobierno Bolivariano de
Venezuela,
https://www.austria.gob.ve/oldsite/noticias_1.php?leer=1&noticiaid=179

[6] <https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_ednref6> Priselen
Martínez, “Desde 1960 hasta 1998 se suspendieron 21 veces las Garantías
Constitucionales “, Panorama, 28 Oct. 2007,
https://www.aporrea.org/actualidad/n103792.html

[7] <https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_ednref7> Correo del
Orinoco, “La IV República se caracterizó por la corrupción descarada e
impune”, 6 diciembre 2017,
http://www.correodelorinoco.gob.ve/la-iv-republica-se-caracterizo-por-la-corrupcion-descarada-e-impune/
Correo
del Orinoco is a Venezuelan newspaper launched in 2009 with government
backing.

[8] <https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_ednref8> Luis Britto
Garcia, “In Order t Overcome Corruption in Venezuela”,
Venezuelanalysis.com,  3 September 2013,
https://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/9997

[9] <https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_ednref9> Luis Britto
García, ‘Corrupcieon en Venezuela: caiga quien caiga”, Nodal, 10 abril
2023,
https://www.nodal.am/2023/04/corrupcion-en-venezuela-caiga-quien-caiga-por-luis-britto-garcia/

[10] <https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_ednref10> Rutger
Bregman, “Humankind”, Little, Bown and Company, 2019, p. 2

[11] <https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_ednref11> Rebecca
Solnit, “A Paradise Built in Hell”, 2009, quoted by R. Bregman, op.cit.

[12] <https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_ednref12> Venezuela
has created 42 new universities; and according to UNESCO is the 5th nation
in the world and 2nd in the region with the highest university enrollment.
Since 2005 it eliminated illiteracy. TELESUR, Dec. 2020,
https://www.telesurtv.net/news/revolucion-boliviariana-logros-sociales-venezolanos-20201205-0025.html

[13] <https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_ednref13>  El
Nacional, “Jorge Rodríguez: Maduro es el presidente que más ha combatido la
corrupción en Venezuela”, 21 marzo 2023,
https://www.elnacional.com/venezuela/jorge-rodriguez-maduro-es-el-presidente-que-mas-ha-combatido-la-corrupcion-en-venezuela/

[14] <https://cb6db4f2-6241-4192-9189-ae0323f5fb0e/#_ednref14> VIDEO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANZdmRfTwDc

(Counter Punch
<https://www.counterpunch.org/2023/04/14/venezuela-crime-and-punishment/>)



Maria Paez Victor

María Páez Victor, Ph.D. is a Venezuelan born sociologist living in Canada.
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