Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Friday 26 July 2019

US sanctions Maduro's stepsons for alleged food corruption

By JOSHUA GOODMAN ment to build social hous-
Associated Press ing for the Venezuelan
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) government. In 2011, he
— The U.S. on Thursday appeared on Venezuelan
imposed sanctions on a state television alongside
Colombian businessman Maduro, the late President
and three stepsons of Ven- Hugo Chavez and then-
ezuelan President Nicolas Colombian President Juan
Maduro for allegedly form- Manuel Santos.
ing part of a network that From there, he and his part-
stole hundreds of millions ner, fellow Colombian Al-
in dollars from food im- varo Pulido, entered the
port contracts at a time of food business through a
widespread hunger in the Hong Kong-based com-
crisis-wracked South Ameri- pany, Group Grand Ltd.,
can nation. which was among the 13
The network targeted by entities sanctioned Thurs-
Thursday's actions was al- day. Despite having no
legedly run by Alex Saab, a known track record in the
businessman who has been food business and a rudi-
in the radar of U.S. au- mentary webpage, the
thorities for two years after company quickly amassed
amassing a large number hundreds of millions of dol-
of contracts with Maduro's In this June 21, 2019 file photo, first lady Cilia Flores stands behind her husband Venezuela's lars' worth of contracts to
socialist government. President Nicolas Maduro during a press conference, at Miraflores Presidential Palace, in Caracas, import food on behalf of
The U.S. Treasury Depart- Venezuela. the government's hallmark
ment alleges that Saab uti- Associated Press social program. The import-
lized a network of shell com- ploit Venezuela's starving Some of Saab's contracts prosecutors in Miami for al- ed food was used to stock
panies spanning the globe population," said Treasury were allegedly obtained legedly forming part of an so-called CLAP boxes, a
— the UAE, Turkey, Hong Secretary Steven Mnuchin. by paying bribes to Yoswal, scheme to siphon $1.2 bil- Spanish acronym for Local
Kong, Panama and Mexico "They use food as a form Yosser and Walter Flores, lion from Venezuela's state- Committees for Supply and
— to hide huge profits from of social control, to reward the children of first lady owned oil company, two Production, which are dis-
no-bid contracts obtained political supporters and Cilia Flores from a previ- people familiar with the U.S. tributed to Venezuelans as
through bribes. punish opponents, all the ous relationship. The three investigation told The Asso- part of Maduro's response
"Saab engaged with Mad- while pocketing hundreds men, commonly known as ciated Press. to an "economic war" he
uro insiders to run a wide- of millions of dollars through Los Chamos — Venezuelan U.S. officials believe Saab's says is being waged by the
scale corruption network a number of fraudulent slang for "the kids" — are rise began a decade ago U.S. and opponents seeking
they callously used to ex- schemes." also under investigation by after signing an agree- to oust him from power.q
Puerto Rico's incoming governor faces crisis, wary populace

By DÁNICA COTO was appointed director who was accused of inter-
Associated Press of the Office for Women's vening in a case involving a
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) Rights. suspect charged with steal-
— The woman set to be- After she became secre- ing government property
come Puerto Rico's next tary, she was criticized by at a home where Vázquez's
governor has been criti- some for not being ag- daughter lived.
cized for her reluctance to gressive enough in pursu- Vázquez appeared in
confront problems in Gov. ing corruption investiga- court to face charges that
Ricardo Rosselló's admin- tions involving members included two violations of
istration during her nearly of her pro-statehood New a local government ethics
two years as the territory's Progressive Party, of which law. In December, a judge
top law enforcement offi- Rosselló also is a member. found there was no evi-
cial. Critics also said Vázquez, dence to arrest her.
That criticism is likely to who once handled domes- Vázquez becomes Puerto
complicate Justice Sec- tic and sexual abuse cases Rico's second female gov-
retary Wanda Vázquez's as a prosecutor, did not ernor. Under the island's
ability to complete Ros- In this Jan. 16, 2018 file photo, then Puerto Rico Justice Secretary prioritize gender violence constitution, the secretary
selló's term in the face of Wanda Vazquez answers reporters' questions, in San Juan, cases as secretary. of state is first in line to take
widespread public an- Puerto Rico. Nearly two years after over if the governor resigns.
ger toward the departing Associated Press she became justice sec- But Secretary of State Luis
governor and some of his alone an entire administra- will be working together retary, Vázquez became Rivera Marín, one of the 12
male aides over a leaked tion. to have a responsible and embroiled in a high-profile men who took part in the
online chat in which they Early Thursday, she issued a transparent transition pro- court case that turned chat, resigned July 13 in the
mocked their constituents statement shortly after Ros- cess." some Puerto Ricans against uproar over the leak.
and made insulting remarks selló announced his resig- Before she was sworn in as her. Shortly after the 889-page
about women. nation. justice secretary in January Last November, the Office chat was leaked, Vázquez
Vázquez, a 59-year-old "I understand he made the 2017, Vázquez worked as a of Government Ethics said it issued a statement stating
former prosecutor, has lim- right decision, for the good district attorney for two de- had received a complaint she was "profoundly affect-
ited experience in leading of both his family and for cades at the island's justice about possible ethical vio- ed and saddened" by the
government agencies, let Puerto Rico," she said. "We department and in 2010 lations involving Vázquez, remarks.q