Page 12 - aruba today

A12 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 25 sepTember 2018
As Venezuelans go hungry, Trump targets food corruption

By JOSHUA GOODMAN been subjected to undue
PANAMA CITY (AP) — The scrutiny and harsh media
June meeting was con- coverage because of false
ducted behind closed testimony leveled against
doors far from the klieg-light him. He said that if the U.S.
attention normally focused had cause to believe the
on Venezuela. allegations were possibly
Around a U-shaped table true, his client would have
in a hotel towering above been charged long ago.
the Panama Canal, U.S. Saab said in a statement
Treasury Department of- that he is being targeted
ficials distributed a list of by government opponents
suspected shell companies looking to sabotage Ven-
that they believe senior ezuela's economy.
Venezuelan officials have "Instead, they should be
used around the globe to thankful that despite so
siphon off millions of dollars much bad press and inter-
in food import contracts national blockade there
amid widespread starva- are still businessmen willing
tion in the oil-rich nation. to invest and believe in the
That meeting, and several country," he said.
since, is part of a sustained The U.S. estimates that at
campaign by the Trump least 70 percent of the
administration to pressure CLAP program is being gut-
President Nicolas Maduro ted by corruption.
by striking at the wallets of Among the transactions
top officials in Venezuela's raising red flags is a Sep-
socialist administration. tember 2017 invoice pre-
"They know we're after sented to Venezuela's food
them, and they know we're ministry by Group Grand
after them on a multina- for $41 million worth of
tional basis because we're powdered milk at a price
beginning to see the net- of $6,950 per metric ton
works morph and new — more than double the
shell companies stand up In this July 6, 2018 photo, employees of a government-supported cultural center receive boxes market price at the time.
and existing ones wound with subsided food distributed under a government program named "CLAP" in downtown Cara- A copy of the invoice was
down," Marshall Billingslea, cas, Venezuela. provided to the AP. The
the assistant Treasury sec- Associated Press investigative cooperation
retary for terrorist financing, between the U.S. and other
said in an interview on the The focus on food is delib- CLAP program has be- state TV with the late Presi- countries already has yield-
sidelines of the June meet- erate, said Billingslea, who come a tenuous lifeline dent Hugo Chavez to sign ed some results.
ing. led Trump's national secu- for millions suffering due to an agreement to build On May 17, three days
At that session, forensic in- rity transition team. barren supermarket shelves housing for the govern- before Maduro was re-
vestigators from the U.S. A story published by the AP and hyperinflation. ment. Investigators say he elected, then-Colombian
and three conservative Lat- in 2016 revealed how senior "This goes beyond just cor- entered the food business President Juan Manuel
in American allies — Mexi- Venezuelan officials and ruption," said Billingslea, through the Hong Kong- Santos, acting on informa-
co, Panama and Colom- members of the military who was accompanied in based Group Grand Ltd., tion provided by the U.S.,
bia — traced transactions were enriching themselves Panama by Kenneth Blan- which they say bears the announced the seizure
by companies believed to by diverting money from co, the director of the Trea- hallmarks of a shell com- of 15 shipping containers
be controlled by a govern- food contracts. Since then, sury Department's financial pany. filled with more than 25,000
ment-connected business- as hunger has spread, crimes enforcement net- Group Grand has been CLAP boxes.
man, according to several Maduro has moved to as- work. "This is literally looting awarded contracts to pro- In testimony to police ob-
participants who spoke to sert even greater control of the one social safety-net vide at least 11.5 million tained by the AP, the own-
The Associated Press on food distribution, handing program left." CLAP boxes, according to er of a Colombian com-
the condition of anonymity out monthly boxes of sta- Billingslea would not dis- a Venezuelan Food Ministry pany said he was hired by
because the deliberations ples that critics label a form cuss specific individuals or spreadsheet obtained by a Portuguese firm to as-
were private. of dictatorial social control. entities on the task force's the AP. semble and ship the boxes
Since Donald Trump be- Maduro said he began dis- radar, but said going after Prosecutors in both Miami to Venezuela's Corporation
came president, dozens of tributing the so-called CLAP what he believes is money and Colombia have been of Foreign Trade, which the
senior Venezuelan officials boxes — a Spanish acro- stolen from food imports by investigating Saab for more U.S. Treasury has said is a
have been sanctioned nym for Local Committees Maduro and first lady Cilia than a year, four U.S. and vehicle frequently used by
over allegations of corrup- for Supply and Production Flores is a top priority. Colombian officials with corrupt officials for embez-
tion, human rights abuses — as a way to circumvent The participants who spoke knowledge of those in- zling state funds.
and drug trafficking. Last an "economic war" being to the AP on condition of vestigations told the AP. Billingslea said Maduro has
year, Trump even threat- waged by his opponents. anonymity said a Colom- All spoke on the condition repeatedly sought to de-
ened a "military option" But critics say Maduro has bian businessman named of anonymity because of flect blame for his own mis-
to remove Maduro and, essentially weaponized Alex Saab was a major the sensitive nature of the management and refusal
with senior aides and Latin food, distributing the boxes focus of the Panama City probe. to address mounting hun-
American leaders, raised primarily to government meetings. Saab's Miami-based law- ger. "If they really wanted
the possibility of invading workers and supporters. Saab gained some promi- yer, Richard Diaz, rejected to feed people, they'd let in
the South American coun- As Venezuela has fallen nence in 2011 after ap- allegations of any wrong- the foreign aid that's been
try. deeper into turmoil, the pearing on Venezuelan doing, saying his client has offered," he said.q