Venezuela denies bribery - Chavez claims they are doing "genetic crosses"

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Venezuelan businessman: Illegal fees charged to Argentine officials were "vox populi"

Venezuelan-US businessman Guido Alejandro Antonini, who is wanted by an Argentine court for the "suitcase scandal" in which he tried to smuggle in Argentina a suitcase filled with USD 800,000, said in the United States that payment of bribes or commissions by Argentine businessmen to Néstor Kirchner's officials was "vox populi," according to a report published by Argentine newspaper Clarín.

Eduardo Sadous, a former Argentine ambassador to Venezuela, has said that Argentine businessmen paid kickbacks to export goods to Venezuela

Antonini added that Argentine Planning Minister Claudio Uberti had set an office in Caracas to collect bribes during the government of Néstor Kirchner (2003-2007), Efe reported.

The judicial investigation into alleged bribes has become a hot political issue in Argentina.

May 5

Chávez dismisses alleged briberies in Argentina

Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez said that reports about alleged payment of bribes in connection with Argentine exports to Venezuela are a "political operation" that seeks to "taint" bilateral relations.

"I have seen something in the press about this fuss. This is a political operation and not the first one. There have been some operations trying to taint our bilateral relations," Chávez told reporters at the end of the summit of the Union of South American Nations (Unasur) which was held near the Argentine capital, Efe reported.

The Venezuelan ruler said that his country is grateful for the support provided by several Argentine companies that export their technology to Venezuela.

"We are doing genetic crosses thanks to Argentina," he said.

The new scandal broke a few days ago, when Eduardo Sadous, former Argentine Ambassador to Caracas, reported that Argentine businessmen had to pay 15 to 20 percent commission on sales to Venezuela.

May 6

Judge requests data from Venezuela in connection with alleged bribery

An Argentine judge issued on May 6 a request for information from the Venezuelan Ministry of Energy, in the context of an investigation into alleged bribery in Argentine exports to Venezuela, said a court source.

Federal judge Julián Ercolini also issued international letters rogatory to the United States and Panama requesting information about three firms allegedly involved in the operations, the source said, as reported by AFP. The Argentine judge requested the Venezuelan Ministry of Energy to clarify whether the purchase of agricultural equipment and machinery from Argentina were aimed at private companies or central or local government agencies, the source said. Likewise, the federal judge also requested clarification on whether Venezuelan exports of fuel oil to Argentina came from a Venezuelan government agency or a private company. He requested the name of the firms.