Horacio Medina is denounced civilly and criminally for embezzlement and fraud against the persecuted workers

In an unprecedented judicial action, union leaders from different sectors present a lawsuit before the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) in exile against Petróleos de Venezuela SA (Pdvsa) and its ad hoc administrative board, led by Horacio Medina.

The complaint, led by prominent unionists such as Gustavo Rodríguez of the Employees Union of the Metropolitan Mayor’s Office of Caracas, José Villazana of the Single Union of Aluminum Workers (Sutralum), Eladio Mata of the Workers’ Union of the Metropolitan Mayor’s Office of Caracas, and Juan Martínez of the Sincor Workers Union, seeks to expose an alleged «fraud and corruption scheme» which has affected thousands of Venezuelan workers who were unjustly fired and politically persecuted since the 2002 oil strike.

The unionists allege that Medina, along with the ad hoc administrative board, has been responsible for “embezzling several hundred thousand dollars in a campaign to criminalize and discredit union leaders.”

«This money, which should have been used to improve working conditions and compensate persecuted and dismissed workers, has been diverted to finance a series of defamatory attacks both in Venezuela and abroad«, they point out.

According to the plaintiffs, there are *documents that prove* this diversion of funds, which represents a corrupt use of public resources.

Context of the Demand

Since the 2002 oil strike, thousands of PDVSA and its subsidiary Citgo workers have been victims of unjustified dismissals and systematic political persecution for their participation in anti-government protests. Many of these workers, from those dates until now, have been forced to seek political asylum in other countries, and since then they have undertaken legal proceedings both in Venezuela and abroad to demand compensation for violations of their human rights.

The unionists allege that the complaint before the TSJ seeks to expose “how the ad hoc administrative board of PDVSA, headed by Horacio Medina, has actively interfered in these judicial efforts«.

For the plaintiffs, “the board has diverted large amounts of public funds to finance an international smear campaign aimed at delegitimizing the workers’ legal claims, with the aim of preventing them from being granted the compensation to which they are legally entitled.”

Juan Martínez, leader of Sincor, said: “These funds have been used to create a false narrative about us, the persecuted workers. There has been an attempt to criminalize and discredit us internationally.all to prevent courts in the United States and other countries from taking our claims for compensation seriously. but we We have documentary evidence that shows how they have diverted hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay for these dirty campaigns«.

Smear campaign

One of the most serious aspects revealed in the complaint is that, to carry out this smear campaign, PDVSA and its board have hired “individuals with criminal records” in the United States.

According to the documents presented by the union members, several of the people hired to coordinate the defamatory attacks have “histories of fraud, document falsification and violence.” This highlights not only the corruption inherent in the process, but also the lack of scruples of those responsible, who have resorted to criminal elements to destroy the reputation of union leaders abroad.

Gustavo Rodríguez commented on this matter: “It is outrageous that PDVSA, a company that is supposed to serve the Venezuelan people, is hiring criminals to carry out smear campaigns against the workers. We are talking about people with a history of fraud and violence. This not only damages union leaders, but also tarnishes Venezuela’s image on the international stage.

The Role of Horacio Medina and the ad hoc administrative board

Horacio Medina, president of the ad hoc administrative board of PDVSA, has been identified by the workers as “the main orchestrator of this plot.” Medina, a former PDVSA executive, was appointed to manage the company’s assets abroad, including those of Citgo.

However, the plaintiffs allege that, instead of using these resources for the benefit of the company and the workers, “Medina has allowed public funds to be diverted to finance this smear campaign, harming both union members and the dismissed workers.” “who have filed lawsuits in search of justice.”

José Villazana explained: «What Medina is doing is part of a bigger plan to prevent workers from getting justice. Instead of working to compensate us for the damages we have suffered since 2002, he has used the assets of PDVSA and Citgo to actively obstruct judicial proceedings against us.”

Interference in international judicial processes

One of the most delicate aspects of the lawsuit is the “direct interference” of PDVSA and its board in the judicial proceedings that are being carried out in the United States and other international jurisdictions. Union leaders claim that Medina and his team have used Citgo assets to finance tactics aimed at “hinder and discredit” legal cases in which dismissed workers demand compensation for violations of their labor and human rights.

Eladio Mata noted: «The interference is not just to harm us personally, but to hinder the lawsuits we are filing abroad. They want international courts not to take our claims seriously, creating an environment of distrust towards us. “This is a clear violation of our due process rights.”

Impact on the international image of Venezuela

The actions of the ad hoc administrative board and Horacio Medina have had devastating consequences not only for the workers, but also for the «image of Venezuela in the international community». By using public funds to attack union leaders who have sought asylum abroad, he believes that “an image of Venezuela is projected as a country that persecutes its citizens, even outside its borders”.

This has generated concern among human rights organizations and other international actors, who see this strategy as a clear violation of international regulations for the protection of politically persecuted people.

Juan Martínez stressed: «This not only affects us as individuals, but it affects Venezuela as a nation. The world is seeing how the Venezuelan State, through PDVSA and its board, persecutes those who have been exiled and protected by other countries. “This is a stain on our reputation.”

The workers consider that the lawsuit filed before the TSJ is a “decisive step in the search for justice for the thousands of workers who have been persecuted and unfairly dismissed since the 2002 oil strike.”

They assure that they not only seek to put an end to the smear campaigns that have damaged their reputations, but also “demand that those responsible, including Horacio Medina and the ad hoc administrative board, be held accountable for the misappropriation of public funds and interference in the processes international judicial system.

“This case represents a crucial opportunity for Venezuelan justice to restore workers’ rights and put an end to a campaign of persecution and corruption that has stained the integrity of PDVSA and the Venezuelan State as a whole,” they conclude.