MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chavista regime cracks down on black market dollar handlers

Black market traders were arrested in multiple states nationwide

Venezuelan authorities arrested 15 men and 10 women for their alleged involvement in manipulating the black market dollar, impacting the economy. The suspects, including operators, managers, liquidity providers, developers, programmers, and payment receivers, handled 18 websites setting parallel dollar prices, causing economic distortions. Some of these portals illegally captured funds without banking authorization, it was explained.

 

Arrests occurred across multiple states, such as Aragua, Merida, Lara, Yaracuy, Miranda, Zulia, La Guaira, Barinas, and Caracas, with evidence including Google-issued checks for advertising revenue. Authorities suspect political motives, noting a 20% spike before the May 25 elections.

The Chavista of Nicolás Maduro deployed prosecutors nationwide to ensure businesses use the official Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV) exchange rate, aiming to curb speculation and protect consumer rights. The National Superintendence for the Defense of Socioeconomic Rights (Sundde) was entrusted with this mission during the weekend to make sure traders operated under the official exchange rate established by the Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV). ”The Ministry of the People's Power of National Commerce through Sundde has deployed its prosecutors in the national territory, with the objective of verifying the use and collection of the official rate of the Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV),“ the government said in a statement.

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello explained that things were done as they should, ”in silence, without any kind of outrage, we caught them and presented them before the Public Prosecutor's Office and the courts.“

According to Mision Verdad, some of these websites functioned as illegal financial entities, capturing funds without the authorization of the Superintendence of Banking Sector Institutions, with rates that generated ”distortions in the national economy.”