The food sector in Venezuela, which for years has represented a great source of business for all companies that have managed to obtain large amounts of preferential foreign currency for imports or for those that have obtained important and opaque contracts with the State, captured the attention of at least 11 of those accused in the alleged acts of corruption with PDVSA, according to an investigation by the organization Transparencia Venezuela
At least 26 of the 105 companies linked to those investigated in the most recent Petróleos de Venezuela corruption scheme, known as Pdvsa Cripto, have as their object activities related to the food sector, either for the production, sale of products, storage, marketing or import of industrial machinery, according to the information published by the organization Transparency Venezuela.
The food sector in Venezuela, which for years has represented a great source of business for all companies that have managed to obtain large amounts of preferential foreign currency for imports or for those that have obtained important and opaque contracts with the State, captured the attention of at least 11 of the defendants in the alleged acts of corruption with PDVSA.
According to an investigation published by Transparencia Venezuela, The 26 companies identified in the food sector that have been managed by 11 of the defendants by the Public Ministry have entered into contracts with State institutions such as the Food Market SA (Mercal), the Chain of Venezuelan Stores SA (Cativen), the Ministry for Defense, mayorsamong others.
*Read also: Complaint in the CLAP: food enters an endless cycle of resale to avoid its consumption
Of the total number of companies, just over a dozen are dedicated exclusively to the food sector, the rest have very broad corporate objects, according to the National Registry of Contractors (RNC). Some of the companies constantly modified their corporate objects and declared that they are engaged in activities related to up to 10 economic sectors at the same time, among these are medicines, cosmetics, construction, transportation, supplies, and machinery for the oil industry.
At the service of Mercal
Among those accused of the Pdvsa Cripto plot, Johanna Lisseth Torres Ojeda stands out, an alleged businesswoman who showed on her social networks a life full of luxuries, which included planes and an apartment in Dubai. In the videos of her published, she claimed to have Emirati nationality and, from her residence in the emirate, she came to display a briefcase with at least 15 gold bars. Torres Ojeda was called “The Queen of Fruits” in reference to a billboard placed on the Francisco Fajardo highway, in Caracas, in which she appeared promoting her food marketing business.
According to the RNC, Torres Ojeda is linked to five companies dedicated to the food sector. Two of them, Asociación Cooperativa La Región 82468 RL and Cooperativa Granos de Maíz 6521 RL have signed at least 18 contracts with Mercal SA, to supply raw materials to the School Feeding Program (PAE) in Anzoátegui, a government program created in 1996 and based on providing food to students in the public education system for “guarantee a consonant learning for the population”.
A special report published by the Comptroller General of the Republic in 2013 revealed that the PAE was working “without the minimum fiscal controls”. After inspecting 42 educational establishments in Caracas, the comptroller body concluded that the program lacked planning, supervision and internal control, and that the companies and cooperatives, including Mercal and Pdval, increased the bills and defrauded the State.
According to a testimony obtained by Transparencia Venezuela in 2015, the communities had to organize themselves to pay for transportation and look for supplies at Mercal and Pdval, which on many occasions were expired or incomplete. In addition, the food processing mothers claimed irregularities in the payment they should receive from the PAE, attached to the Ministry of Education.
The Torres Ojeda companies that were Mercal contractors share the corporate purpose, which also includes the supply of surgical material. Although the RNC indicates the signing of agreements with the public health system for the sale of medical supplies for hospitals and laboratories, the name of these institutions or the dates of the contracts are not specified.
*Read also: 52% of those arrested for the Pdvsa Cripto plot are businessmen
Another of the companies that has been linked to Torres Ojeda’s ex-partner is the El Gran Prestigio RL Cooperative Association. In 2017, he signed a contract with the CNU for the sale of food and another with the National Fund for Technology and Innovation. At the time, Hugbel Roa was Minister of University Education, Science and Technology, and, consequently, he presided over the CNU and controlled the fund.
On March 31, 2021, the Public Ministry ordered the arrest of Johanna Torres Ojeda for money laundering and criminal association. It was pointed out that preliminary investigations verified the enormous ill-gotten fortune of Johanna Lisseth Torres Ojeda, through a criminal structure made up of front men, lobbyists, ladies-in-waiting and intermediaries that allowed her to receive illicit freehand contracts granted by PDVSA and the Ministry of Food. However, the arrest was carried out in March 2023, according to information provided by the Prosecutor’s Office.
In the case of Barrios Vivas, related to the former Vice President of Commerce and Supply, Antonio Perez Suarez, there are at least four companies that have the food sector as part of their corporate purpose. This businessman is one of those investigated who has contracted the most with the State: from the sale of food and rubber to clothing.
The other businessmen who include the food sector in the purpose of the companies are Juan Manuel Afonso López, Manuel Ramón Afonso López, Bernardo Andrés Arosio Hobaica, Fernando José Bermúdez Ramos, José Luis Ferrandiz Laya, Salem Hassoun Atrach, Leonardo Enrique Torres Naim, Olvany Marian Gaspari Bracho,
In March 2023, the Public Ministry assured that a network of high-ranking officials, businessmen, and financial operators was allegedly involved in illegal oil operations without taking into account contracting regulations or administrative controls. According to estimates of Transparency Venezuela and Ecoanalítica, at least USD 16.650 million from the Republic are involved in the plot.
A group of people linked to high-ranking State officials and companies created in Venezuela (68), Panama (18), United States (9), Barbados (6), Dominican Republic (2), United Kingdom (2) participated in these operations. ), Malta (1) and Cyprus (1).
In May 2023, Transparencia Venezuela asked the Prosecutor’s Office to provide details about this corruption scheme: who participated and approved the operations, what is the amount committed, place of detention of the detainees and status of the case, and what administrative controls had been carried out. failed for the illegal operations to be executed.
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