A Venezuelan Bishop Denounces ‘Corruption’ in Humanitarian Aid: “Money is Getting Lost Along the Way to Cover Luxurious Expenses of Leaders”
By: JOSÉ ANTONIO PUGLISI
Source: America Periodista Digital
Mario Moronta
The Bishop of the Diocese of San Cristóbal, Mario Moronta, has denounced the ‘corruption’ surrounding the international humanitarian aid being sent to Venezuela. In an interview with El Cooperante, he stated that some of the humanitarian aid money that Venezuela receives “is getting lost along the way to pay for the luxurious expenses of leaders who have received the funds to help Venezuelans alleviate the crisis. The United States and the European Union should investigate this specifically and find out who is receiving these resources.”
To illustrate his point, Moronta asked: “The United States has just given $90 million to ease the Venezuelan crisis; with that, something can be done, but how are our hospitals and various citizen care services doing? Who is actually getting that money?” His remarks have once again put the spotlight on Lester Toledo, the international coordinator of the Aid and Freedom Coalition, who already faces several international scandals regarding the management of funds linked to humanitarian aid.
The Scandals of Toledo
One of the most well-known incidents occurred on June 14, 2019, when Orlando Avendaño, the editor-in-chief and columnist for PanAm Post, reported in an article titled ‘Guaidó’s Envoys Misappropriating Humanitarian Aid Funds in Colombia’ that representatives of the opposition leader in Colombia, Rossana Barrera and Kevin Rojas (under Toledo’s responsibility), who were tasked with assisting Venezuelan defectors entering the neighboring country, indulged in luxury while mismanaging the available funds and inflating the number of Venezuelan ex-military personnel.
In a press conference held in Bogotá, Toledo addressed the claims regarding the mismanagement of funds intended for military personnel seeking refuge in Cúcuta after February 22. “These are different issues; one is a supposed diversion of funds to pay for a hotel in Cúcuta, and another is humanitarian aid. They have mixed things up. It seems irresponsible to link a totally unrelated administrative issue with those responsible for aid, a task aimed solely at saving the Venezuelan people,” remarked the former Zulia state deputy.
The coordinator of Guaidó’s government for the Aid and Freedom Coalition also stated that Juan Guaidó’s appointed ambassador in Colombia, Humberto Calderón Berti, filed a complaint with the Colombian prosecution to investigate the irregularities involving members of Voluntad Popular. “We are in sync with our president Guaidó, who personally informed me that we needed to investigate and make it public. If there is corrupt activity, those responsible should face prison,” he said.
Despite a return to calm, Lester Toledo’s name remained linked to scandals. In a June 2019 interview on journalist Patricia Poleo’s show, ‘Factores de poder,’ Darwin Chavéz, director of Verdades y Rumores, cast doubt on the extravagant lifestyle enjoyed by Lester Toledo both in his native Maracaibo and abroad. “The use of an inappropriate lifestyle became increasingly evident,” said Chávez.
During his intervention, Chávez stated, “I received a report created in Panama by former chavista intelligence sources in exile, who were tasked with studying Lester Toledo’s activities abroad. The document showcases that he owns properties in Spain (Madrid and Andalusia) and the United States, as well as that he travels in first class and engages in activities that cannot be justified due to lack of a known job.” He also claimed that the Guaidó representative “held two meetings with Jorge Rodríguez, Nicolás Maduro’s psychiatrist, in Belize,” and that “Isabel Rangel Varón, who became wealthy through the Venezuelan social security system, is one of his co-financers for his activities in Venezuela.”
And the Special Comptroller?
Under Juan Guaidó’s interim presidency, there is no position for a comptroller; the closest equivalent is the Permanent Commission of Comptrollership of the National Assembly, whose oversight functions are limited. While they exert political control, the members of the commission are still political party representatives, lacking the independence required of a comptroller.
Mercedes De Freitas, president of Transparencia Venezuela, commented on the ‘Al Cierre’ program of the digital outlet Evtv Miami, stating that it would be appropriate to appoint a “Special Comptroller” because “the interim government cannot appoint anyone to carry out activities within the country, such as PDVSA or the gold mines in Venezuela; they won’t have any possibility of action.”
Tags: Humanitarian Aid, Corruption, Gustavo Guaido, Catholic Church