
Oil tycoon Wilmer Ruperti showed up for a meeting with Venezuela’s intelligence agency last Thursday. A week later, he’s still in custody, one of his lawyers told Semafor.
“We’ve reached out to everybody trying to get proof of life or some support,” Winston & Strawn’s Cari Stinebower said, adding that officials still haven’t conveyed “how he’s being treated or why he’s being detained.”
Ruperti, who arrived at the meeting with a security detail, is a Venezuelan Italian shipping magnate who trades in petroleum coke. His detainment followed interim President Delcy Rodríguez’s decision to elevate the agency’s longtime chief to defense minister.
“The message is that Venezuela is open for business — but detaining businessmen for days on end without any due process or access to counsel is more old regime,” Stinebower said. “This is not law and order and not conducive of a welcoming business environment.”
The State Department and Energy Department did not respond to requests for comment.
LATEST POSTS
- 1
I asked ChatGPT who would win a Golden Globes. Here's what it got right — and totally wrong. - 2
Cells have more mini ‘organs’ than researchers thought − unbound by membranes, these rogue organelles challenge biology’s fundamentals - 3
The most effective method to Decisively Use Open Record Rewards - 4
JFK's granddaughter reveals terminal cancer diagnosis, criticizes cousin RFK Jr. - 5
I’m a dad to an autistic child. Here’s how you can make the holidays easier for all of us.
Instructions to Back Your Sunlight powered chargers: Tracking down Possible Choices
Did we start the fire? A 400,000-year-old hearth sparks new questions about human evolution
A definitive Manual for the 5 Off-road Bicycles Available
Skeleton of famed musketeer possibly found in Dutch church
Land Rover Just Unveiled Its Dakar Rally Defender
Creative Do-It-Yourself Ventures for Each Expertise Level
5 Most Expected Film Delivery
SpaceX's 1st 'Version 3' Super Heavy Starship booster buckles under pressure during initial tests
Figuring out the Justification for Separation: To blame and No-Shortcoming












