The plan to import gas from Venezuela to Colombia fell apart after the neighboring country’s attorney general, Tarek William Saab, revealed that several officials are involved in money laundering operations from illicit activities related to the oil sector. According to the prosecutor, a total of 25 people, including 14 state officials and 11 businessmen, are linked to this network of corruption.
The Colombian company Integral Energy Plus SAS had agreed with Prodata Energy CA to import gas from Venezuela, but the corruption scandal revealed by prosecutor Saab implicated the shareholder of Prodata Energy CA, Bernardo Arosio, so Integral Energy Plus SAS decided to dissolve and liquidate the company immediately in an emergency meeting.
In a statement, the company clarified that, although Arosio does not have a stake in Integral Energy Plus SAS, his status as a partner in Prodata Energy CA made it unfeasible to continue with the project to import gas from Venezuela to Colombia.
Photo: Internet socketThe plan to import gas from Venezuela had received authorization from the Government of Nicolás Maduro to export gas to Colombia through the Antonio Ricaurte pipeline. The specialized agency Bloomberg revealed that Energy Transitions had also reached an agreement to send gas to Colombia under the Agreement for the Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investments signed between Colombia and Venezuela.
Likewise, it is important to mention that the gas import project was subject to the approval of the Sanctions Coordination Office of the US Department of State, according to the request submitted in November 2022.
For its part, the National Association of Businessmen of Colombia (Andi) has declared that it is absurd for Colombia to think of importing gas from Venezuela under these conditions.