Dear Sirs,
Humbly acknowledging my lack of knowledge about all the words that make up our rich language, I recall the first time I went to the dictionary after hearing Hugo Chavez use the term “cosmovisión” in one of his speeches. In the last few hours, as I read the denials that all of you have made (BANESCO here, DAVOS Financial here, and Derwick Associates here) regarding your alleged involvement in a $50 million bribe paid to the President of the National Assembly and the strongman of Chavismo, Diosdado Cabello, according to statements made in a lawsuit against Derwick Associates filed in a Florida court (USA), I must admit that the first thing that came to mind was the term cosmovisión.
Cosmovisión, defined by the Royal Academy as the “way of seeing and interpreting the world,” perfectly explains your reaction to the accusations made in that lawsuit. Since all of you are Venezuelans, and you have all benefited in one way or another from operating your companies in or with Venezuela, it is natural for you to think that a press release addressing accusations made in a lawsuit filed in a court with a judicial system in a country where there is rule of law and judicial independence will resolve something.
Allow me to explain, dear Sirs, that legal matters, in what I mean to be civilized countries, are resolved in the appropriate forums, that is, the courts. It is clear that you view and interpret the world from a Venezuelan perspective. It cannot be any other way, as you owe everything you have and have done to Venezuela, and therefore you believe that the world operates like Venezuela. Unfortunately for you, that is not the case. In fact, many of the things you have done, which have led you to your current positions, are punishable in other countries where the rule of law prevails. It is imperative that someone informs you that nothing you say in press releases or on social media will, or can, have any impact on the legal process related to the aforementioned lawsuit. In other words, the court officials in charge of that lawsuit (unaffected by any pressure and truly independent, unlike Luisa Estela and her buddies) will not be influenced in any way by press releases paid for by you and published in Venezuelan media. No one in Venezuela is formally accusing you before a court, and no one will, given your power and connections with Chavismo. Still, I regret to inform you that I believe that nothing you say in Venezuela will make any difference in the opinion people have of you there.
Moreover, there’s a Latin phrase that fits the situation: “Excusatio non petita, accusatio manifesta.” I bring it up because it seems you haven’t understood that the US is not Venezuela. Alejandro Betancourt recently stated in one of those promotional articles he has published, “If you understand Venezuela and its ‘venezolanidades,’ it’s a country with a lot of potential.” Your press releases are those “venezolanidades” Betancourt refers to. It is inconceivable to those of us who have been living outside of Venezuela for years to see a series of companies accused of being involved in illicit activities in a legal lawsuit resort to the media to refute claims that have not even been proven. It is equally absurd to read statements from Derwick Associates’ lawyer essentially accusing the plaintiff of being an extortionist, which is a favored accusation among the “business” class that has become rich with Chavismo.
Stop digging. Remember the famous words we have all heard in TV series and movies: “Anything you say can be used against you.” I suggest you wait for the process to take its course, and at the appropriate time, if necessary, take the appropriate legal actions to protect your supposedly tarnished reputation. I understand that in Venezuela, you would have already called your contacts, instructed them to bury the issue, and the insolent accuser would already be receiving their due. But I must reiterate, the US is not Venezuela; it does not function like Venezuela, nor can the U.S. justice system be influenced like the Venezuelan one. I understand your cosmovisión may cloud your judgment, and that’s why I am writing this open letter.
Best regards,
Alek Boyd
PD: Now that the lawsuit has become public, expect significant coverage from many media outlets worldwide. A headache for you, for sure. Remember that responding impulsively and inappropriately will only generate more scrutiny in the press and on social media, which not even all your money, power, and connections will be able to silence.