Billionaire Nicolas Maduro $700M in assets seized!

[abhiseshakana]

While some citizens are happy for the detaining of Maduro, there is a world wide protest of Venezuelans tearing down US flags and setting it ablaze in anger over the arrest of their president.

Venezuelans? There is no single Venezuelan in those pro-Maduro demonstrations. Here is an example:

'They Don't Even Speak Spanish!' Venezuelans Clash With Pro-Maduro Protestors Outside Courthouse


To those of you who are serious people, unlike this propagandist, I say don't take the statement literally. There may be some Venezuelans in those demonstrations (I personally haven't seen any), but it is curious, to say the least, to see Venezuelans around the world celebrating Maduro's fall as if it were the fall of the Berlin Wall, and in the counter-demonstrations you see everything except Venezuelans. As the Venezuelan in the video says, those demonstrators have probably been funded by Russia or China.

Actually, it is quite disgusting who here are people living in first world countries who are willing to protest in favor of a criminal and a torturer just because they do not like the president of the United States or the current state of American politics. It would be a very low bar if I had to go to the streets of a free capitalist country with a board calling for the freedom of someone who stole the freedom of millions of people.
The worst part is that is anyone asked any of those people why they are defending Maduro, they would only talk shit about the United States, but they are completely unaware of the crimes and corruption perpetrated by Maduro and his crooks here in Venezuela.

There is indeed something worse than a dictator: those who blindly defend him while living in a functional western democracy.

How do you think after Maduro arrested will it stop his regime or his regime will survive with new leader ? Considering political elite and military elit has same interest. I think Venezuela need bigger political transition and now is perfect time but it need fair play election, domestic masive protest for government reformation and global pressure so it will create opportunity for oposition to take part on power stage. There are only two possibility whether Venezuela can be gradually transform to new government system or keep status quo with new mask regime. Hopefully Venezuelan can get capable figure as president so they can fix economy condition which failed to achieve during Maduro's leadership.

I hope Venezuela transition will end up with positive result like South Korea not like other country which US successfully overthrew existing regime but always failed to make better condition in those country after their action. In every action there always be pro and contra, but i think a pro Maduro can put on three classification; they are Maduro's henchman, people who don't know details of his crime, represion and masacre that happened in Venezuela or they only criticized Trump's foreign policy without considering violation of Venezuelan human right by Maduro during his presidency.

[Hispo]

While some citizens are happy for the detaining of Maduro, there is a world wide protest of Venezuelans tearing down US flags and setting it ablaze in anger over the arrest of their president.

Venezuelans? There is no single Venezuelan in those pro-Maduro demonstrations. Here is an example:

'They Don't Even Speak Spanish!' Venezuelans Clash With Pro-Maduro Protestors Outside Courthouse


To those of you who are serious people, unlike this propagandist, I say don't take the statement literally. There may be some Venezuelans in those demonstrations (I personally haven't seen any), but it is curious, to say the least, to see Venezuelans around the world celebrating Maduro's fall as if it were the fall of the Berlin Wall, and in the counter-demonstrations you see everything except Venezuelans. As the Venezuelan in the video says, those demonstrators have probably been funded by Russia or China.

Actually, it is quite disgusting who here are people living in first world countries who are willing to protest in favor of a criminal and a torturer just because they do not like the president of the United States or the current state of American politics. It would be a very low bar if I had to go to the streets of a free capitalist country with a board calling for the freedom of someone who stole the freedom of millions of people.
The worst part is that is anyone asked any of those people why they are defending Maduro, they would only talk shit about the United States, but they are completely unaware of the crimes and corruption perpetrated by Maduro and his crooks here in Venezuela.

There is indeed something worse than a dictator: those who blindly defend him while living in a functional western democracy.

How do you think after Maduro arrested will it stop his regime or his regime will survive with new leader ? Considering political elite and military elit has same interest. I think Venezuela need bigger political transition and now is perfect time but it need fair play election, domestic masive protest for government reformation and global pressure so it will create opportunity for oposition to take part on power stage. There are only two possibility whether Venezuela can be gradually transform to new government system or keep status quo with new mask regime. Hopefully Venezuelan can get capable figure as president so they can fix economy condition which failed to achieve during Maduro's leadership.

I hope Venezuela transition will end up with positive result like South Korea not like other country which US successfully overthrew existing regime but always failed to make better condition in those country after their action. In every action there always be pro and contra, but i think a pro Maduro can put on three classification; they are Maduro's henchman, people who don't know details of his crime, represion and masacre that happened in Venezuela or they only criticized Trump's foreign policy without considering violation of Venezuelan human right by Maduro during his presidency.

I am not sure what is going to happen next with the exit of Maduro from this country, but realistically things are not going to remain the same, that is for sure. There are still bad people of his regime here in Venezuela and there are soldiers who are loyal to Maduro, but that may change as he loses influence for being captured and held in the United States.

There still several weeks or months before a transition can effectively happen and we see democracy to reign on Venezuela. People are fed up with the regime and there are figures of the regime who may just want to keep their money after Maduro is gone, so they will cooperate with the government of the United States.

Whatever happens, it is going to be unprecedented and very delicate.

[Fiatless]

I am not sure what is going to happen next with the exit of Maduro from this country, but realistically things are not going to remain the same, that is for sure. There are still bad people of his regime here in Venezuela and there are soldiers who are loyal to Maduro, but that may change as he loses influence for being captured and held in the United States.

There still several weeks or months before a transition can effectively happen and we see democracy to reign on Venezuela. People are fed up with the regime and there are figures of the regime who may just want to keep their money after Maduro is gone, so they will cooperate with the government of the United States.

Whatever happens, it is going to be unprecedented and very delicate.

Things will not change for the better if the US government decides to work with these corrupt officials. Elections should be held within a few months to enable the people to vote in who they want to take charge. Delcy Rodríguez and Jorge Rodríguez have been part of the corruption; they shouldn't be in power for a long time. This is a turning point for Venezuelans.

What is the situation in the streets of Venezuela? I read that some shops are still locked, which has caused queues and price hikes.     

[WillyAp]

What is the situation in the streets of Venezuela? I read that some shops are still locked, which has caused queues and price hikes.      

Price hikes are in $ due to the split between official and inofficial exchange rate.
Say I get a kilo of coffee before for $10 now it'll be $13. 245 Bs is the difference at the moment.
308 the official and 553 is the inofficial.

Streets are empty, police is riding bikes, colectivos are on the loose

The people not having any $ are screwed. As we all know, knowledge stands between information and disinformation.  
Crypto is known, the binance $ is known, Airtm less so, Mostly USDC.

[Mate2237]

This is a typical politician for you it's always Said that, politics is about interest and that is what all politicians is after all over the world. Including the united states of America which has laid hold on Maduro, infact the very process that has led to his capture is about politics and interest. But this is a good development of it's true that, this man had acquired all these properties when in office without an other sources of incomes or business I welcome the development.


Government should not be seen as a place were someone will come and steal money and use for his personal use. Corruption has been the biggest problem of governance all over the world so it's important that corruption is brought to the least. The money from this seizure should be taken back to the people of Venezuela.

[Free Market Capitalist]

There still several weeks or months before a transition can effectively happen and we see democracy to reign on Venezuela. People are fed up with the regime and there are figures of the regime who may just want to keep their money after Maduro is gone, so they will cooperate with the government of the United States.

Whatever happens, it is going to be unprecedented and very delicate.

As far as I understand, the Rodriguez brothers are cooperating, and it is surely because they have been offered a deal. If they cooperate with the US in facilitating a democratic transition and opening up the market, starting with American oil companies, they will not be prosecuted and will be offered a kind of golden retirement in another country once everything is over.

From a legal and moral point of view, this is not fair, as these crooks should suffer the same fate as Maduro, but this is more of a practical issue, that of trying to ensure that the transition to a democratic regime is as peaceful as possible, and that can only be done with people who were part of Maduro's government structure.

Government should not be seen as a place were someone will come and steal money and use for his personal use. Corruption has been the biggest problem of governance all over the world so it's important that corruption is brought to the least. The money from this seizure should be taken back to the people of Venezuela.

I am sure that part of that money will not be recovered, as the crooks will have it well hidden in other countries. But it will be very easy for the country to recover economically if there is a political transition (and a civil war does not break out), because Venezuela is in deep shit and when you're at rock bottom, it doesn't take much to improve. In addition, the country has many natural resources that, with an opening up of the economy, could lead to significant economic growth over time.

[Hispo]

There still several weeks or months before a transition can effectively happen and we see democracy to reign on Venezuela. People are fed up with the regime and there are figures of the regime who may just want to keep their money after Maduro is gone, so they will cooperate with the government of the United States.

Whatever happens, it is going to be unprecedented and very delicate.

As far as I understand, the Rodriguez brothers are cooperating, and it is surely because they have been offered a deal. If they cooperate with the US in facilitating a democratic transition and opening up the market, starting with American oil companies, they will not be prosecuted and will be offered a kind of golden retirement in another country once everything is over.

From a legal and moral point of view, this is not fair, as these crooks should suffer the same fate as Maduro, but this is more of a practical issue, that of trying to ensure that the transition to a democratic regime is as peaceful as possible, and that can only be done with people who were part of Maduro's government structure.

Yes, I agree.
It was actually very genius of Trump to get the Rodriguez siblings to accept a deal in order to them to get amnesty, had the United States backed someone else outside of the circle of Maduro, then the radical and stupid left of the country would have come together and fight against those plans. In this moment the stupid left of this country is pretty much divided and not even sure whether there was an inner treason against Maduro or not, if the Rodriguez and Trump provide some actual elections with no fraud and with actual transparency, then the left will be obviously defeated.

You have no idea how inefficient and pathetic the left is here in Venezuela, they would be willing to morally defend a crook in order for them not to admit they were wrong.

If you have any question about Venezuela, you can ask me Poker Player.

[r_victory]

It seems that in this American offensive, they are speculating that Venezuela could hold up to US$60 billion in bitcoin reserves. It's sad to see that a country that could be one of the richest in South America is going through situations of social calamity, as it has been for years. Unfortunately, and this is not only in Venezuela, the rulers govern for themselves and their friends/allies, not for the people.

A ruler who says he will govern for the poorest cannot solve the problems of these people, because, after all, if they cease to be poor, who will they govern for? This is how they maintain power, keeping the people poor and ignorant, without access to education and a decent income.

Many Venezuelans fled to Brazil during President Bolsonaro's administration in search of better opportunities, and today they live under the government of an ally of Maduro, President Lula, who even defends him and says that Venezuela is democratic, calling it a "relative democracy"

[Free Market Capitalist]

You have no idea how inefficient and pathetic the left is here in Venezuela, they would be willing to morally defend a crook in order for them not to admit they were wrong.

The left is inefficient and pathetic all around. There were a few decades after WWII when there was reasonable social democracy in Europe, but since the beginning of the 21st century, they have all become the same radical left lunatics and woke trash. They are the ones you see demonstrating in favor of Maduro in European capitals, with full bellies, in complete freedom, and warrior-like on the internet from their iPhones.

A ruler who says he will govern for the poorest cannot solve the problems of these people, because, after all, if they cease to be poor, who will they govern for?

Of course, the left doesn't want people to get rich, because then they stop voting for them. They want a poor population that is dependent on the state. What a left-wing politician hates most is a self-employed person who substantially improves his standard of living through his work.

[el kaka22]

Considering how much oil Venezuela had and how much wealth Muadro could have stolen, 700 million sounds like it is not the whole thing. I would expect at least a few billion dollars, that seems like a better way to calculate it, 700 million must be just the number they have took control over but that is not the whole thing.

Swiss did turn out to be not some "Cayman island" type of thing anymore, they seized all maduro money too and probably will give it to new government so they can use it to recover the nation.

[Jatiluhung]

When I saw the initial news about Maduro's kidnapping, I wondered what was going on and whether it was just about oil or something else. But I think it's not just about that. it seems that the Venezuelan people are also suffering from hyperinflation, which has caused this supposedly rich country to remain poor. So it's not surprising that the president's wealth, which is indeed quite substantial, is being revealed bit by bit. And it seems that many people in that country actually support what the US is doing to Maduro. The US certainly has interests in oil. But reportedly, the US did have cooperation in the beginning and played a role in discovering oil there. However, due to increasingly high taxes and then stricter restrictions from the Venezuelan government, that's where it all seems to have started. And honestly, what I feel sorry for the most there is the people, especially when hyperinflation occurred. 

[Faisal2202]

This is nothing new. After staging a coup following their defeat in the elections just over a century ago, the first thing the Bolsheviks did was to take over the dachas for their own personal use.

It never fails: the more radical a leader's rhetoric against wealth and capital is, the richer he is himself. What he doesn't like is for others to get rich.

The history is repeating itself, but why every single time USA is in that history concerns me most, and why they had to get away with all the seized funds but I don't hate them for this it is just a neutral concern that the supports of these countries are spreading and I saw it on social media so I asked too but just to be clear, I did not know a thing about the drug and tarfficking, I just thought it is all about oil but the article is full of drugs and smuggling of other things.

This is really alarming, and if that is true, like really true then I am glad he got caught, but if it is wrong and USA is trying to put a bad image then I have no words, but since they found all that property and assets on him, how come he can make all that as president without doing anything illegal.

Well, I agree with you, and this is jus history repeating itself

[WillyAp]

The history is repeating itself,
Well, I agree with you, and this is jus history repeating itself

You agreed yourself here

The US certainly has interests in oil. But reportedly, the US did have cooperation in the beginning and played a role in discovering oil there. However, due to increasingly high taxes and then stricter restrictions from the Venezuelan government, that's where it all seems to have started. And honestly, what I feel sorry for the most there is the people, especially when hyperinflation occurred. 

Thanks to the big oil companies who don't just jump into a new adventure there is a chance that juridical security will be addressed 1st.
Venezuela pushed them out twice and a 3rd time they seem to wish for more security. 

[goldkingcoiner]

From jets to Florida luxury homes: U.S. seized a fortune from Maduro

All these leaders who preach against the rich and capital are all the same; what they dislike is the wealth of others. They create societies where poverty and misery are widespread among the population, who tend to flee the country in their millions, if they are allowed to and no walls are built to prevent them from escaping, while they continue to accumulate more and more wealth, at the same time as continuing with their rhetoric against the rich and capitalism.

This is nothing new. After staging a coup following their defeat in the elections just over a century ago, the first thing the Bolsheviks did was to take over the dachas for their own personal use.

It never fails: the more radical a leader's rhetoric against wealth and capital is, the richer he is himself. What he doesn't like is for others to get rich.

Only $700 Million USD in assets? That is surprising.
I thought it would be way more.

Obviously Maduro is a corrupt individual who only cares about himself and having more power and money. Just like any other dictator.

Politicians need to be kept under a tight leash by the people, not the other way around.

[yhiaali3]

All these leaders who preach against the rich and capital are all the same; what they dislike is the wealth of others. They create societies where poverty and misery are widespread among the population, who tend to flee the country in their millions, if they are allowed to and no walls are built to prevent them from escaping, while they continue to accumulate more and more wealth, at the same time as continuing with their rhetoric against the rich and capitalism.

You are right in every word.. This happens everywhere. We have a similar story here in my country (Syria). We were also ruled by a dictator, but he fled with only $10-12 billion in cash, gold bullion, precious metals, and the like.

When he was in power, he told the people to stand firm against the injustice perpetrated by Western countries and ordered them to endure hunger, poverty, misery, and death for the sake of the homeland. When he felt threatened, he stole everything and fled to Russia with all those billions (or perhaps that's all the plane could carry).😉

[Ocham]

From jets to Florida luxury homes: U.S. seized a fortune from Maduro

All these leaders who preach against the rich and capital are all the same; what they dislike is the wealth of others. They create societies where poverty and misery are widespread among the population, who tend to flee the country in their millions, if they are allowed to and no walls are built to prevent them from escaping, while they continue to accumulate more and more wealth, at the same time as continuing with their rhetoric against the rich and capitalism.

This is nothing new. After staging a coup following their defeat in the elections just over a century ago, the first thing the Bolsheviks did was to take over the dachas for their own personal use.

It never fails: the more radical a leader's rhetoric against wealth and capital is, the richer he is himself. What he doesn't like is for others to get rich.

What you seem to be saying is that when a government faces trouble, it will flee the country. That’s how it comes across. However, the reality is different. To form a government, many rules and regulations must be followed. A government can develop a country if it acts with honesty and integrity.

If a government runs away from the country, it is betraying itself as well as the citizens of that country. No government wants to commit wrongdoing deliberately, but sometimes it becomes a victim of circumstances. At the same time, we have also seen governments that, alongside some development, have built mountains of black money in foreign countries by looting the nation and its citizens.
When such a mindset exists, a government can flee at any moment.

[alani123]

Venezuela's national wealth is largely overblown. The so called biggest oil reserves is a complete BS line because put simply most of the oil in Venezuela is in solid form. Economically unfeasible to take out and process unless the prices of oil go sharply up and stay there.

Maduro is unlikely to really hold such wealth and it's likely US authorities are overblowing his personal connection with Venezuelan companies that predate Maduro's rule. Venezuela isn't really a controlled economy and was really eager as a country to participate in world capitalism. With US as its neighbour it made no sense to embargoe the whole country. Both countries could benefit from mutual trade.

Anyway yes the US sized billions in Venezuelan company property. The Venezuelan state owns CITGO a us company with thousands of workers that is to a large extent rendered useless due to seizures and sanctions.

The irony of this duality is that western banks and businesses are allowed to operate in Russia. But Russia took delight in many of them voluntarily withdrawing and happily replaced them. Now a single Venezuelan company is the US is hammered to the ground although for years it was accepted to operate so long as it claimed it had no connection in its management with the Venezuelan government.

Maduro is a president with very limited capabilities. Even to claim he had narco trafficking network capabilities is too much for a country that could barely afford to operate its sole reliable source of income, oil fields.

I would just say that Trump makes a big effort to frame Maduro to justify regime change. We've seen this again with Panama. Of course the us justice system will let it pass.

[Free Market Capitalist]

Only $700 Million USD in assets? That is surprising.
I thought it would be way more.

Man, that's not bad for someone who has made anti-rich rhetoric a way of life. We'd have to see how much money the rest of his government has stashed away, like the Rodriguez brothers.

Venezuela was the fourth country in the world in terms of GDP per capita in 1950. Since communist politicians are profoundly economically retarded, they take over the leadership of such a rich country and destroy it in a few decades. Since they believe that wealth is like a pie, what they do is keep more and more wealth for themselves while impoverishing the population to levels of misery. That was the case from the beginning of communism, with the Bolsheviks keeping the dachas for their own personal enjoyment as soon as they staged a coup to seize power in Russia.

You are right in every word.. This happens everywhere. We have a similar story here in my country (Syria). We were also ruled by a dictator, but he fled with only $10-12 billion in cash, gold bullion, precious metals, and the like.

When he was in power, he told the people to stand firm against the injustice perpetrated by Western countries and ordered them to endure hunger, poverty, misery, and death for the sake of the homeland. When he felt threatened, he stole everything and fled to Russia with all those billions (or perhaps that's all the plane could carry).😉

It's the same pattern. You criticize the economic system that has brought the most progress and well-being to the world while you impoverish the population and enrich yourself. Always the same.