On March 28, the Prosecutor’s Office confirmed an investigation against the also Colombian businessman Álvaro Pulido Vargas, Alex Saab’s main partner, in addition to confirming the search of some of his properties
The Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs once again spoke out to demand the release of Colombian businessman Alex Saab, who is in a United States prison under investigation for money laundering thanks to alleged illegal business with Chavismo.
The administration of Nicolás Maduro argues that Saab is a “diplomat” appointed by his government to represent the country in business that Venezuela did to try to circumvent the United States sanctions, such as the purchase of gasoline from Iran.
Despite the fact that Chavismo has maintained its position of defending Saab since his capture in Cape Verde and has repeatedly demanded the businessman’s release, to the point of abandoning the dialogue table in Mexico once his extradition to the United States was confirmed, the context this time is different.
The main partner of Alex Saab in his business with Venezuela, Álvaro Pulido, was splashed by the investigations promoted by the Public Ministry against the corruption plot gestated in Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), for which 33 arrests were recorded, among which there are businessmen of pesos and high-level officials of Chavismo.
Both Alex Saab and Álvaro Pulido Vargas, whose real name is Germán Rubio Salas, have had several businesses in Venezuela for a decade. The largest of them is linked to the importation of food, through the company Group Grand Limitedto supply the Local Supply and Production Committees (CLAP), a food subsidy that the administration of Nicolás Maduro delivers on a discretionary basis in the communities.
On March 28, the Prosecutor’s Office confirmed an investigation against fellow Colombian businessman Álvaro Pulido Vargas, in addition to confirming the search of some of his properties.
«Many raids are being carried out, including the one you mention (Pulido). Many raids because there are expert reports by telephone, statements that come to light and arrest warrants are not ruled out (…) It would be premature on my part and reckless to tell you that it could happen, not only with this person and with others, “said the attorney general , Tarek William Saab, in a interview with the W Radius from Colombia.
* Also read: Saab: 67 arrest warrants and 142 searches for corruption cases in three days
A research by Armando.Info published this Sunday, April 9, affirms that both Pulido and Saab would be partially responsible for the purge that Chavismo unleashed as a result of the acts of corruption in PDVSA, since it is estimated that billions of dollars have not been collected by the company from its suppliers. The journalistic work attributes at least $1.5 billion to Saab and Pulido.
“A default to PDVSA of around 1,500 million dollars associated with 19 of the companies controlled between 2019 and 2020 by Alex Saab Morán and Álvaro Pulido Vargas, the favorite contractors of Nicolás Maduro since he came to power,” the work indicates.
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