Venqis SA, the Panamanian company that complicates the President's son

 The CEO of Venqis supported the MAS campaign and is related to Marcelo Arce, advisor to YPFB Chaco. The Panamanian firm is fighting to be awarded the gas exploitation strategy in a protected area.

A commission of opposition deputies is investigating the Panamanian company Venqis SA, which seeks to be awarded the communication strategy for the YPFB Chaco project “Astillero X1”, a gas well in a protected area of ​​Tarija. The director of the firm, the Brazilian Andre Golabek, who faced legal proceedings in his country and in Panama, supported the electoral campaign of Luis Arce. The investigation will extend to the President's son, Marcelo Arce Mosqueira, current advisor to YPFB Chaco.

In a letter addressed to that state company, dated July 2, 2021, Golabek presents his company: “At Venqis SA we have been developing our experience in institutional communication in several countries, highlighting political strategies, management of government organizations and their interaction with citizens, as well as crisis management at the local level”, says the note.

This letter accompanies the proposal presented by the Panamanian firm for the LS-2021-40 process "Services for the production and dissemination of communication products for the Shipyard area", convened by YPFB Chaco, for the preparation of a campaign that counteracts the voices criticism of the exploitation of hydrocarbons in the protected area of ​​Tariquía.

Venqis's proposal included a Communication strategy, two audiovisuals for TV, four videos for social networks, six digital graphics products, including the dissemination of products for three months and payment to the work team, budgeted 1,271,440 bolivianos, equivalent to 184,700 dollars, exactly the same amount stated in the specification document that YPFB Chaco published three days later.

The applicant company also fully coincided with the components that the contracting party had considered. “The LS-2021-40 process was not awarded to Venqis. It was not awarded and it has already ended, without contracting, ”said the YPFB communication director, Óscar Salazar, in a brief contact with Página Siete.

However, the background of the participation of the CEO of Venqis in the electoral campaign of Luis Arce, added to complaints of previous hirings to the Panamanian company, which are denied by YPFB Chaco, raised doubts in the Tarija opposition deputies.

“We are forming a commission of opposition parliamentarians; however, we are also sending a letter to the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Mr. Freddy Mamani, so that a commission can also be formed in the Legislative Assembly, understanding that the Venqis company has supported Luis Arce's campaign at the time and there is a feeling that this was a political favor that is intended to be paid with the money of all Bolivians,” Tarijeña deputy Luciana Campero (CC) told Page Seven.

The assemblywoman pointed out the similarities of this Panamanian company with the Mexican Neurona Consulting that between 2017 and 2018, during the administration of Evo Morales, was awarded direct contracts for 12.4 million Bolivians for communication campaigns.

For the case, a process was opened for corruption and economic damage to the State that, finally, was dismissed in the Bolivian justice without clues about those responsible for the payments.

Venqis and his director

“46 political campaigns and successful institutional changes in the last five years”, is how the company Venqis SA presents itself, on its official website. It promotes four specialty units: leadership, elections, institutional, and technology and intelligence. According to the site, the firm has offices in Spain, the Dominican Republic and Panama.

Data from the Public Registry of Panama show that the company was created on September 7, 2015. Three people appear on the board of the company: Andre Golabek, as president; Georgina-Amalia Jianu, secretary; and Tatiana Cristina Núñez Barreno, treasurer.

However, the same Registry records in 2019 the dismissal of Golabek as president of Venqis, together with the director and the treasurer. The date coincides with the investigation of the company for irregular awarding of contracts in Panama.

The Panamanian newspaper La Prensa described Venqis SA as "a company friendly to the ruling Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD)" and reported that the firm benefited from contracts from various state institutions totaling at least $658,000, all of them for products communication and advertising.

The director of Venqis, André Golabek Sánchez, for his part, faced 15 legal proceedings in Brazil in the last decade, according to the specialized portal Jusbrasil. Most of them are labor and tax lawsuits; but there are two penalties in the registry for extrajudicial execution of title. Page Seven insisted on knowing the businessman's version, but did not respond to the requirements.

In bell?

Speaking to the newspaper El Deber, Andre Golabek admitted having worked on Luis Arce's election campaign. The strategist said that he supported “like so many people who believe in the government proposal of President Luis Arce. We weren't really hired by anyone. It was a contribution from capable people who are committed to a political project.”

Asked about Golabek's participation in the MAS campaign, Marianela Paco assured that she has no reference. "I worked alone with the militancy," she told Page Seven.

Other sources within MAS agree that neither the Brazilian strategist nor the firm Venqis worked on Luis Arce's campaign. The sudden appearance of the Brazilian businessman once the elections have been won, they say, causes annoyance in the bases and they were the ones who uncovered the case.

His version is that the strategist came to YPFB Chaco through a friendly relationship with the President's son, Marcelo Arce Mosqueira, who worked and is currently an advisor at the state company. Golabek, however, denied this situation.

parliamentary inquiry

The commission of deputies that investigates the Brazilian strategist and Venqis also includes Arce Mosqueira, as announced by deputy Campero.

Luis Marcelo, the eldest son of President Luis Arce, worked until 2021 at YPFB's headquarters and then moved to YPFB Chaco. In both he held managerial positions, admitted the spokesman for the state company, Juan Carlos Ortiz, on Monday.

After the denunciations of nepotism of union leaders and trustees of YPFB, presented by the pro-government deputy Rolando Cuéllar, the CC bench announced that it will request a report from the oil company. 

Venqis Company

    Venqis The company Venqis was created on September 7, 2015, according to the Public Registry of Panama.

    Areas The company has four units: leadership, elections, institutional, and technology and intelligence, according to its website.

    Offices Its official site says that the firm has offices in Spain, the Dominican Republic and Panama.

    Panama The firm was benefited with contracts from Panamanian state institutions for at least 658 thousand dollars, according to local media. It was investigated.

    CEO The director of Venqis is the Brazilian Andre Golabek Sánchez, who faced 15 legal processes in his country in the last decade.