Now the “connected ones” in Venezuela can dress in Prada. On Friday, November 18, a new luxury store will open its doors in the Las Mercedes area of Caracas, set to be the favorite shopping destination for the boliburguesía: “Galerías Avanti,” a space that will showcase the world’s most exclusive brands: Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Dolce & Gabbana, and more.
Behind this “business venture” is Yaser Dagga, associated with Frigilux and Cyberlux, part of a group referred to by some as the “Taliban of money laundering.”
The face of the store is Dora D’Agostino, wife of Venezuelan host Eladio Lares, and sister of Diana D’Agostino, wife of opposition politician Henry Ramos Allup.
Dakazo
At the heart of the appliance business in Venezuela is a recurring surname: Dagga. This Palestinian-origin business group flourished during the oil boom and the currency controls implemented by Chavismo over more than a decade. Even the incident known as Dakazo has not impeded their growth. Yes, Dagga is the name behind the well-known Daka chain of stores in Venezuela, which gained notoriety not so much for its marketing efforts as for an order issued by President Nicolás Maduro in 2013 to empty the stores. At that time, the president accused Daka of usury and speculation. This occupation and confiscation order, which devastated the electronics retail sector in just a few weeks and possibly influenced the results of the municipal elections a month later, curiously did not harm the Dagga family. Today, their business empire includes, in addition to Daka, several other companies.
Nasar Ramadan Dagga Mujamad and Manzur Ramadan Dagga Mujamad are linked to the origins of Daka de Venezuela C.A. The former is also associated with Consorcio Lux and CLX stores—established in 2013 and granted “exclusive license” for the “representation and distribution” of the South Korean brand Samsung—while the latter is connected to Bullpro Maracay C.A, registered in 2016 and dedicated to marketing audio equipment from the American brand Boss. There’s more: Yaser Arafat Dagga Muhd, also a founding partner of CLX stores, is the sole owner of Cyberlux de Venezuela C.A., which is marketed as the “largest appliance assembler in Venezuela” and has ties to Daka de Venezuela C.A. Similar connections between the origins of Daka and other companies are found in several entities that the entrepreneurs and their relatives have registered in Panama.
Despite this, sources close to the group insist that “the only connection is familial” and that this is very sensitive information. One thing is clear: business is thriving, including Daka, in what seems to be a lesser-known web of connections.
Revealing “intimate” secrets about Yaser Arafat Dagga Muhd, the “owner” of Avanti.
WARNING! Dora D’Agostino, wife of Eladio Lares, is part of the mega gang Los Talibanes.
Nasar Dagga Mujamad received payments over $1.2 billion thanks to Chavismo.