Wednesday, September 24, 2008

The Miami Venezuelan Maletagate trial part VIII: Antonini begins testimony, confirming US$ 4.2 million in second suitcase A thinned out Guido Antonini showed up in Court today and basically confirmed a lot that had been said before or that had been dug up by Argentinean newspaper la Nacion. Among the highlights: ---Antonini confirmed that PDVSA VP Diego Uzcategui asked him two days after the suitcase was caught where the other suitcase with US$ 4.2 million was.Antonini claims he had no idea about it. ---Antonini also confirmed that his suitcase was checked after most of the others were already in the cars.  While his suitcase was being inspected Daniel Uzcategui stayed with him and took some US$ 30,000 from the suitcase at some point. ---He also reiterated what the secretary of Claudio Uberti had said, that Antonini did indeed attend a reception at the Argentinean Presidential palace, the Casa Rosada. At that reception, the Minister of Planning of Argentina greeted him, contradicting the Minister's statement that he does not even know Antonini and Claudio Uberti at that same reception offered him "whatever he wanted from Argentina" because he had done a great favor for that country. At that reception he says Ramirez sees him, but does not say hello to him. ---Antonini testified that both Duran and Kauffmann offered him their jet planes to go to Spain or Israel until the storm over the Maletagate scandal had passed. ---In the tapes played, Duran says that PDVSA will give the money (for Antonini) to the DISIP and these in turn will give it to his lawyers. Duran states that he does not trust Minister of Energy Ramirez, saying "Ramirez and Uzcategui got you into this problem". No new dramatic revelations, but consistent with what the tapes said and what Duran, who is being accused discussed earlier in the tapes. The Minister of Planning of Argentina has tried to deny knowing Antonini and or his presence at the Presidential Palace, but both Antonini and Uberti's secretary have confirmed it.So far the main facts of the story are consistent with the tapes. As people have said in the comments: "Pass the popcorn" the robolution will continue to entertain and surprise" 1:41:34 AM    comment []