Vice president Delcy Rodriguez announced today that there were eight new cases of COVID-19 detected in the country over the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Venezuela to 189.
The eight new cases were detected in the following states:
- Miranda (5)
- Capital District [Caracas] (1)
- Aragua (1)
- Trujillo (1)
Red Cross Delivers 46 Tonnes of Aid to Venezuela
The Red Cross delivered 46 tonnes of medical aid to its Venezuelan chapter today, providing much-needed medical and hygiene kits to the country in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The aid will be distributed to eight hospitals and 16 clinics belonging to the Red Cross network, while an unspecified number of public health institutions will also receive a share of the aid.
OCCRP Investigation Implicates Padrino Lopez in Business Empire
The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) has published an investigation implicating Minister of Defense Vladimir Padrino Lopez and his relatives in a corruption scheme worth millions of dollars.
The investigation unveiled business connections between Padrino Lopez, his wife and other relatives that included businesses in the United States. One of these companies is called Tramites Consulares, Inc., which offers “passport extensions and translation services” for Venezuelans living in the United States, has an office in Miami.
The investigation highlights the fact that while Padrino Lopez is one of the highest-ranking members of the Maduro government and a self-described as socialist and a “Bolivarian soldier”, his business empire in fact demonstrates that his personal affinity for exuberant wealth.
According to the investigation:c
The web of businesses that Padrino’s family members have built includes 24 companies in the U.S. and Venezuela and at least 14 properties in the U.S. Purchase records for 13 of these properties give a combined total of just over $3 million. Based on current valuations, the 14 properties together are worth almost $4.5 million.
The full investigation can be found here.
Note: I was ill over the last couple of days, hence the lack of updates.
Questions/Comments? Email me: invenezuelablog@gmail.com
In Venezuela 