Dear Senator Rubio,
First of all, I extend my respectful greetings and sincerest thanks.
Recently, you delivered one of the most profound speeches about the Cuban dictatorship that the world has ever heard. Brilliant. Flawless. Grounded in reality, not the propaganda spread by the Castro communists, which is irresponsibly propagated by media and outdated Stalinists. I could sense your deep indignation in your memorable speech, which I have listened to several times, stemming from a lifetime of hearing countless stories of hardship suffered by your parents, family, friends, and acquaintances; some exiled, while others continue to endure the vile “revolution.”
Imagine our indignation as Venezuelans. In the fifty-year nightmare imposed by force on the Cuban people, at least they are certain that their oppressors are their fellow citizens. Repression rules in Cuba. Picture our shame, knowing that we are being oppressed by a regime that collaborates openly with a foreign dictatorial power. What exists in Venezuela is a Cuban occupation army, subjugating our people at will, meddling in matters exclusively concerning us, to the delight of the traitors in charge of our country.
Can you imagine your government—without the approval of representatives elected by the people—handing over control of citizenship identification systems to Russia? Can you picture Russian soldiers suppressing protesters in American cities during Occupy protests with total impunity? Can you fathom what you would feel seeing your president entrust his personal security to thugs from the FSB?
That, and worse, is what we Venezuelans have experienced since Hugo Chavez came to power in 1998. Shameful barely scratches the surface of our discontent. There are no words that can fully capture our feelings. We must also endure interference from countries like Brazil—who call themselves progressive—and the indifference of so-called democratic nations in the hemisphere, despite our land serving as a refuge for many fleeing atrocious dictatorships. Daily, we witness how Venezuelan reality is distorted, how hidden racism projects onto our conflict, while professional commentators pontificate from their comfortable, well-supplied distance about what is appropriate. Imagine a Russian or a North Korean asserting, bluntly, that they know better than you what is in your best interest. That’s how things are.
I heard you say in your speech that you would make a series of proposals and explore imposing sanctions on those responsible. In this regard, I would like to make a suggestion. As you know, Venezuela and the U.S. have maintained cordial relations for many years. Many who now deny this relationship don’t hesitate to seek refuge for their assets in the U.S. This includes some politicians, but mainly those forming the business structure supporting many ventures of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. I’m specifically talking about bankers, financial operators, contractors, and others who have used and continue to use U.S. currency and banking systems in their operations with the Venezuelan state. I understand that you are personally acquainted with Al Cardenas. This gentleman possesses information your government could effectively use to sanction high-ranking officials in the Nicolás Maduro regime. Among Al Cardenas’ clients are a significant number of the so-called Boliburgueses, meaning white-collar criminals with intimate knowledge of Chavismo’s international operations. These are people who know where the money is hidden, which banks have been used, which officials have received bribes and for how much, which companies have done business with Chavismo. In summary, Mr. Cardenas could provide you and officials associated with your government with valuable information for imposing truly effective sanctions, taking into account what you expressed in your masterful speech.
Please don’t take my suggestion as a malicious attempt, as Mr. Cardenas is not the only one with such information. Many other companies operating in the U.S. could assist you, such as JP Morgan, FTI Consulting, ProEnergy Services, DAVOS Financial Group, Savoy Bank, Mirmidones Capital, BANESCO, CSC Trust of Delaware, La Lechuza Caracas LLC, and more. There are countless corporations registered in Florida and other states that are merely fronts for Chavismo’s straw men, or individuals with intimate knowledge of Chavismo’s operations.
The best contribution you could make to our cause, and it is something feasible, is to identify the regime’s collaborators and demand accountability. With that information, I assure you, you can sanction the highest Chavista officials as they deserve. I am at your disposal if you need assistance in identifying the main actors, and I respectfully conclude with my gratitude and admiration for your clear stance in favor of our freedom and democracy.
Alek Boyd