The world’s leading anti-corruption activist, Alex Navalny, recently penned an article from prison that was published by The Guardian. In it, Navalny calls for the implementation of a series of measures in the Western world to stop the bullies that govern both his country and mine. I have news for Navalny: the likelihood of that call happening is akin to expecting Putin or Maduro to resign from power simply because their opposition demands it. Context is needed to understand how deeply rooted corruption is *in* the West.
The so-called global “superpower” has been on a steady decline since the early 21st century. There are few distinctive signs to illustrate how corruption has deteriorated power in the United States, but perhaps the best demonstration was provided by Colin Powell when he unscrupulously asserted, without a shred of supporting evidence, that Saddam had mobile facilities for manufacturing weapons of mass destruction. Such brazen lying aligned Powell, once credible and respected, with figures like Maria Zakharova or Delcy Rodríguez, making it impossible to take any of their comments seriously. However, lying like this requires more than mere audacity; it necessitates corruption at the highest level. Seeking justification for military action against terrorist aggressors by concocting easily refutable claims is one thing; it’s an entirely different scenario.
The years that followed saw Obama, Trump, and now Biden. Once again, there has been no shortage of rampant corruption in the United States. The wholly corrupt figures from Venezuela provide useful examples. Most recently, Biden nominated Leopoldo Martínez (a protégé of David Osío) as U.S. Executive Director of the Inter-American Development Bank. The fact that these bullies and their financiers could so easily infiltrate the upper echelons of power can again be attributed to corruption. Stolen/misappropriated money in Venezuela allowed both men to charm Democrats, who responded with appointments/candidacies in kind. Another example is Alejandro Betancourt, the chief bully of Derwick Associates, who over the years has hired Héctor Torres, Al Cardenas, Michael Volkov, Fusion GPS, Adam Kaufmann, Jon Sale, and Rudy Giuliani, among others. Rudy Giuliani, in fact, personally pressed Attorney General Bill Barr to halt the Justice Department’s criminal investigations into Betancourt’s criminal empire. When asked about the matter, Giuliani claimed he could not comment because it was a “national security issue.”
Far from being exceptional cases, I could also point out that Abbe Lowell (attorney for Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump) was hired by former PDVSA CEO Rafael Ramírez, or the former Justice Department lawyer and “reputable” Dick Gregory, who works for Samark López, or the prominent U.S. legal brain David Boies, involved in a monumentally corrupt matter (PDVSA US Litigation Trust) with Maduro and company.
The United States is thoroughly corrupt, that much is certain. In the most capitalist country in the world, everything is for sale and the source/legitimacy of money is never questioned. But all countries in Europe are also corrupt. Navalny mentioned the UK’s Bribery Act in his article as an “excellent” tool “to combat foreign corruption.” Perhaps he overlooked the fact that conservatives worked hard to dilute its effects by claiming it would hinder the competitiveness of British businesses abroad (oh, they know exactly how contracts are secured). Maybe his cellphone didn’t receive the news that David Cameron was deeply entrenched in corruption. Perhaps he hasn’t heard about George Osborne drinking champagne on Deripaska’s yacht or the Lebedevs praising Boris Johnson. Within the European context, the UK, or more specifically the City of London, is undoubtedly the largest and most efficient money laundering hub. A significant portion of the revenues driving the stripe brigade is, precisely, the income generated from servicing Putin’s People, as Catherine Belton would say. These bullies have essentially received what amounts to a royal treatment in Britain; the natural targets of Navalny’s investigations reside here, in public and obscene opulence, without even a phone call from the National Crime Agency. Russian loot is not only welcomed here; it is celebrated every time Chelsea F.C. scores a goal. The best example of this is that another tool that could curb corruption in this jurisdiction—the Unexplained Wealth Orders—has only been used a couple of times with little success.
Corrupt Venezuelans have also made London their European home. Betancourt, as described earlier, keeps a residence at 4 Cowley Street, a former LibDems headquarters located behind the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey. Specific details have been provided to the relevant authorities, who have done absolutely nothing to determine whether Mr. Betancourt’s pied-à-terre in London is maintained with legitimate funds. The conservatives graciously accepted a £100,000 donation from Julio Herrera Velutini, a dubious Venezuelan “banker.” And the Labour Party? What can be said about the party once led by Jeremy Corbyn, one of the major boosters of Chavismo in Britain? What about Ken Livingstone and John McDonnell’s party?
Moving across the water, there’s France, where Diego Salazar once called on Dominic de Villepin to help him reclaim millions of euros that had been frozen in Andorra as part of a large corruption scheme centered on PDVSA. What could be added about François Hollande’s decision to award the Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur of France to Bruno Magras, considering the latter’s relationship with Luis Oberto? And what about crossing the mountains, whether to Switzerland or Spain? Switzerland is globally known for its policy of turning a blind eye when it comes to accepting foreign wealth. If the Swiss could take Nazi loot without scruples, they wouldn’t hesitate to make deals with Russians or Venezuelans. Once out of the Pyrenees, you enter a territory where a Chavista cadre managed to ascend to the position of Vice President. There, in Spain, the brightest star in the judicial firmament employs none other than Alex Saab.
Perhaps it is fair to assume that Navalny is a dreamer, one who knows the reality and wants to convince others through example to see things through his anti-corruption lens. His set of measures that could curb corrupt money flows relies on the one thing missing in the Western world: political will. There can be no hope when Biden, Trump, Johnson, etc., are mired in corruption. Maybe if he ever reaches the presidency and becomes a sort of anti-corruption crusader, the seriousness of Russia will tip the scales in the right direction. But even then, the Swiss will not abandon their business model, nor will the “sophisticated bankers” in London and New York. Furthermore, at the end of the day, prosecutors are low-level, poorly-paid government employees who lack the judicial means, intelligence, or drive to lock up individuals of Abramovich’s caliber and the likes. The fact that some of them, once retired, run to become employees of the same targets they’ve spent their lives “testing” is indicative of their moral compass.
Corruption is intrinsic to human behavior; it’s greed under another name. Given the low risk of ever serving time for it anywhere, major thieves will continue forever, subverting, buying, bribing, and getting away with it. There is too much money at stake to ensure that the political will Navalny counts on will never materialize where it matters. Legislative tools to combat corruption are mere adornments that are never intended to be used against the corrupt. Their formulation/approval is just empty rhetoric.