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Caracas, Monday, December 28, 1998

lvan Daro Badell

ATTORNEY GENERAL FAILED TO APPEAR BEFORE CONGRESS

Also summoned before the Congressional Anti-Drug Commission that

investigated Casablanca was the Attorney General of Venezuela, Ivan Daro
Badell, who never attended.

The Commission repeatedly required him to appear, but he failed to do so,

something that lawmakers considered disrespectful. The situation grew tense
because several requests made to Badell to appear at the legislature went
unheeded.

Even in the recommendations made in the report, congressmen point out

that a query must be submitted to the Supreme Court of Justice to evaluate
the arguments put forward by the Attorney General over his refusing to
publicly appear before Congress as the legislative body only expected him to
cooperate.

Also involved in this case is Marco Tulio Henrquez, Vice-President of Banco

del Caribe, who was affected by Operation Casablanca. Because he was not
within U.S. territory, he could not be arrested in that country.

Described by those who know him as an ''honest banker,'' he received

support from family and friends who helped him remain hidden while the
overall situation improved.

Henrquez always maintained that he has made decisions that any other
high-ranking banker would have made such as approving the opening of
accounts upon receiving and vetting the relevant documentation, handed in
this case by attorney Carmen Salima de Irigoyen.

In the transcripts of Salima's talks with undercover agents in the United

States, it is not clear whether Henriquez and Matos de Saad knew what
Salima's true intentions were because no talk about drugs ever took place.

The Congressional Anti-Drug Commission, when initiating the investigations,

summoned all those above, including the Vice-President of Banco del Caribe
who appeared before the legislature.

Once there, Marco Tulio Henrquez confirmed that at no time was he told that
opening the accounts sought to launder money from drug dealing and, much
less, was he offered money to open the accounts or engage in any
improprieties.

The 11th Criminal Court of First Instance also served Henrquez a summons
to testify. He complied.

On September 4, the court received the information that the National Guard
had collected during the time that it prepared a file that comprised five items
and six schedules.

According to the report drawn up by the Anti-Drug Commission, no indication

exists that Henrquez ever engaged in any improprieties.