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Key Maduro Ally in Venezuela Is Linked to Illegal Campaign Gifts
Source: New York Times
Key Maduro Ally in Venezuela Is Linked to Illegal Campaign Gifts
By KIRK SEMPLE and ANA VANESSA HERRER OOCT. 14, 2017
CARACAS, Venezuela — Odebrecht, the Brazilian construction giant that ran a vast bribery scheme in the Americas, made campaign contributions to numerous Venezuelan candidates, including Diosdado Cabello, one of the country’s most powerful politicians, according to a video released on Saturday by Venezuela’s ousted attorney general.
The video, showing an excerpt from a deposition by the former head of Odebrecht’s Venezuelan operations, widened allegations of the firm’s involvement in Venezuelan politics.
The former attorney general, Luisa Ortega, who fled the country in August, posted an earlier video, on Thursday, in which the same Odebrecht executive, Euzenando Prazeres de Azevedo, testified that the company had paid President Nicolás Maduro at least $35 million in bribes in 2013 linked to campaign promises.
Since her ouster by Mr. Maduro, Ms. Ortega has been releasing evidence of alleged corruption in Venezuela’s government. The latest video, published on Ms. Ortega’s blog, came on the eve of gubernatorial elections in Venezuela and seemed timed to influence the vote.
-snip-
By KIRK SEMPLE and ANA VANESSA HERRER OOCT. 14, 2017
CARACAS, Venezuela — Odebrecht, the Brazilian construction giant that ran a vast bribery scheme in the Americas, made campaign contributions to numerous Venezuelan candidates, including Diosdado Cabello, one of the country’s most powerful politicians, according to a video released on Saturday by Venezuela’s ousted attorney general.
The video, showing an excerpt from a deposition by the former head of Odebrecht’s Venezuelan operations, widened allegations of the firm’s involvement in Venezuelan politics.
The former attorney general, Luisa Ortega, who fled the country in August, posted an earlier video, on Thursday, in which the same Odebrecht executive, Euzenando Prazeres de Azevedo, testified that the company had paid President Nicolás Maduro at least $35 million in bribes in 2013 linked to campaign promises.
Since her ouster by Mr. Maduro, Ms. Ortega has been releasing evidence of alleged corruption in Venezuela’s government. The latest video, published on Ms. Ortega’s blog, came on the eve of gubernatorial elections in Venezuela and seemed timed to influence the vote.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/14/world/americas/venezuela-nicholas-maduro-diosdado-cabello-odebrecht-video.html