The Civil Guard reveals in a recent report, sent to the judge of Koldo affairthat former Minister José Luis Ábalos obtained “the approval of the President of Government for the visit of Delcy Rodríguez” to Spain. And this, despite the ban on entry into Europe by the vice-president of Venezuela.
This is what reveals an exchange of WhatsApp messages between former minister Ábalos and his advisor, Koldo Garcia Izaguirreon the eve of the arrival of the head of the Maduro regime.
As recounted by the Central Operational Unit (UCO) in its report, Ábalos informed Pedro Sanchez details of Delcy’s visit to Spain, “emphasizing that [la actuación de la vicepresidenta venezolana] this would allow the recovery of Spanish debts in Venezuela. »
The minister’s message to Sánchez, dated January 16, 2020, read: “And to finish disturbing you, the vice president of Venezuela is coming privately on Monday and wants to see me discreetly in continuity from the meeting I had with the Minister of Communication (who is his brother). “The management we agreed on in favor of Spanish companies has allowed Duro Felguera to recover a significant debt.”
In the document that EL ESPAÑOL was able to access, there is the screenshot that Ábalos sends to Koldo with the response from the President of the Government. Pedro Sánchez replied: “Good”.
After receiving the image, Koldo replied: “How much I love you”. In the next line, the minister of the time adds, in reference to Pedro Sánchez: “You see that he didn’t tell me anything, but At least he doesn’t have any problems.”.
The summary also includes a letter from Ábalos sent by Aldama to Delcy Rodríguez; letter which, in the opinion of the UCO, shows how the commissioner “allegedly used the highest levels of the Ministry of Transport to organize the trip” of the vice-president of Venezuela.
According to the same report, the UCO found on one of Aldama’s computers a photograph of a purchase and sale contract proposed by the Venezuelan National Development Fund (Fonden). 104 gold bars worth 68,498,254.11 US dollars.
The UCO also collects conversations between Delcy and Aldama on “questions of great sensitivity”, and which demonstrate “the level of representation that Aldama had”, who served as “interlocutor between Spain and Venezuela “.
The purchase and sale contract was concluded on December 27, 2019 and stipulates, in its fourth clause, that the delivery of the gold must be made between December 27, 2019 and January 6, 2020. Rodríguez would arrive in Spain shortly time later, on the night of January 20 of the same year.
Among the seized conversations, there is one between Aldama and Delcy dated December 29, 2019. In it, Aldama tells him: “I didn’t tell you, the yellow thing is already ready and Thursday the 350 comes out (sic).
“Yellow” equals gold
Thus, according to the UCO, with the term YELLOWthe businessman “could be referring to gold”, which would leave on Thursday January 2, 2020. Investigators conclude that Aldama would have considered Delcy’s arrival in Spain as a trip of interest to the Ministry of Transport. “Even if I would keep particular interests in said visit“explain to the agents the visit of the Venezuelan leader.
Delcy Rodríguez, in an archive image.
Reuters
To see that Aldama had sufficient capacity to promote this visit, on January 19, 2020, Delcy and Aldama discussed the official motivation that the two countries were going to give for the bilateral meeting. The Chavista vice-president thus underlined “two options”: “One. I came to Fitur [la feria de turismo]. Two. “The government wishes to explore mechanisms to encourage negotiation.”
Then Aldama replied: “Let me consult and I will tell you”, and a few minutes later he confirmed: “Yes, Fitur and a private medical trip” (sic). Between one message and another, Aldama spoke to Koldo García. Ábalos’ advisor at the time confirmed the first of the options: Fitur.
Aldama’s plan
After Koldo thanked Ábalos for his efforts to inform Sánchez and, happy that the president agreed, Councilor “initiates the ordinary procedures (…) for the visit of any foreign authority”.
The Civil Guard report also includes messages from Víctor de Aldama to the Venezuelan vice-president, in which he informs him of the situation in Spain once he arrives. On January 17, 2020, shortly before taking his flight, the businessman even sent an agenda to the Latin American leader.
El documento lleva por título “Viaje VIP” y recoge, entre otros asuntos, que Rodríguez, en el primer día de su visita, será atendida por un “médico privado VIP” y se reunirá con responsables de la siderúrgica asturiana Duro Felguera, una de las empresas que cobró sus deudas en Venezuela.
También, accederá a una “reunión” en el “despacho [del] boss” and will enjoy an exclusive dinner with members of the “Mr. de Sanidad”. The second day, according to this plan, was planned by Aldama to have various meetings.
