Cilia Flores: Difference between revisions

| term term_start = 19 April 2013

While serving as chair of the Political Command of the Bolivarian Revolution, Flores was part of the Tactical Command for the Revolution, an organization that ran the majority of Hugo Chávez's political machine. On 7 April, days before the [[2002 Venezuelan coup d'état attempt]], Flores, along with [[Guillermo García Ponce]] and [[Freddy Bernal]] shared plans of using the [[Bolivarian Circles]] as a [[paramilitary force]] to end opposition marches and defend Chávez in [[Miraflores Palace]] by organizing them into brigades.<ref name="p2022NELSON">{{cite book|last1=Nelson|first1=Brian A.|title-link= The Silence and the Scorpion|title=The silence and the scorpion : the coup against Chávez and the making of modern Venezuela|date=2009|publisher=Nation Books|location=New York|isbn=978-1568584188|pages=20–22|edition=online}}</ref>

Upon Maduro's tight victory in the [[2013 Venezuelan presidential election|2013 presidential election]] over [[Henrique Capriles]], Cilia Flores became Venezuela's First Lady, a position that had been vacant since 2003. As First Lady, Flores ran for a seat in the National Assembly in [[2015 Venezuelan parliamentary election|Venezuela's 2015 parliamentary elections]] as a candidate for the [[Great Patriotic Pole]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=5 August 2015|title=Cilia Flores formalizó su inscripción para las parlamentarias|work=El Nacional|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/politica/Cilia-Flores-formalizo-inscripcion-parlamentarias_0_677932257.html|access-date=12 August 2015}}</ref> She said she would use her seat to defend the social rights of citizens and the achievements of the Bolivarian Revolution.<ref>{{Cite news|date=5 August 2015|title=Cilia Flores inscribió su candidatura parlamentaria|work=El Universal|url=http://www.eluniversal.com/nacional-y-politica/150805/cilia-flores-inscribio-su-candidatura-parlamentaria|access-date=12 August 2015}}</ref>

Flores was accused of [[nepotism]] with individuals claiming that several of her close relatives became employees of the National Assembly while she was a deputy.<ref name="ETcolombia">{{cite news|last1=Lares Martiz|first1=Valentina|title=Denuncian por nepotismo a la presidenta del Congreso venezolano, Cilia Flores|url=http://www.eltiempo.com/archivo/documento/CMS-4378170|access-date=12 August 2015|agency=''[[El Tiempo (Colombia)]]''|date=15 July 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.talcualdigital.com/nota/visor.aspx?id=57908&tipo=AVA|title=Clan Flores fuera de la AN|access-date=26 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924113024/http://www.talcualdigital.com/nota/visor.aspx?id=57908&tipo=AVA|archive-date=24 September 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>[http://www.versionfinal.com.ve/wp/2008/05/30/es-falso-que-tenga-muchos-familiares-en-la-asamblea/ "Es falso que tenga muchos familiares en la Asamblea"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204072120/http://www.versionfinal.com.ve/wp/2008/05/30/es-falso-que-tenga-muchos-familiares-en-la-asamblea/ |date=2012-02-04 }} 30 May 2008.</ref> According to ''[[Tal Cual]]'', 16 relatives of Flores were in an office while she was in the National Assembly.<ref name="TCD2012">{{cite news|last1=Ayala Altuve|first1=Dayimar|title=Fin al nepotismo Flores|url=http://www.talcualdigital.com/nota/visor.aspx?id=73068|access-date=17 January 2015|agency=[[Tal Cual]]|date=7 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150118162506/http://www.talcualdigital.com/nota/visor.aspx?id=73068|archive-date=18 January 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> Flores responded to the reporters who shared the nepotism allegations stating it was part of a smear campaign, calling them "mercenaries of the pen".<ref name="ETcolombia" /> Both opposition and members of the government denounced the alleged nepotism calling it an injustice, with one PSUV member taking the allegations to Venezuela's Ministry of Labour.<ref name="ETcolombia" /> In 2012, relatives of Flores were removed from office<ref name="TCD2012" /> though some received other occupations in the government a year later.<ref name="EDnepotism">{{cite news|last1=Lozano|first1=Daniel|title=Acusan de nepotismo a Maduro|url=http://www.eldiariony.com/noticiasnuestros-paises/article/20131005/Acusan-de-nepotismo-a-Maduro|access-date=18 January 2015|agency=[[El Diario La Prensa]]|date=5 October 2013|archive-date=18 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150118152957/http://www.eldiariony.com/noticiasnuestros-paises/article/20131005/Acusan-de-nepotismo-a-Maduro|url-status=dead}}</ref>

According to journalist Maibort Petit, Flores' son, Walter Jacob Gavidia Flores, whose last salary through 2015 was less than $1,000, made multiple international trips in 2015 and 2016 on private flights costing approximately $20,000 per trip. Gavidia Flores spent most of his time in the United States, though he also took chartered flights to France, Germany, Malta and Spain.<ref>{{citeCite news |last=Petit |first=Maibort |date=11 January 2017 |title=Hijo de Cilia Flores pasa largas temporadas en los Estados Unidos |language=es |work=Venezuela Política |url=https://www.lapatillavenezuelapolitica.com/site/2017/01/12info/hijo-de-cilia-flores-pasa-largas-temporadas-en-los-estados-unidos/|access-date=13 January 2017|work=[[La Patilla]]|date=12 January 2017}}</ref>

==='' Narcosobrinos'' incident ===

On 27 March 2018, Panama sanctioned 55 public officials<ref name="PanamaSanc">{{cite news |url= http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/mundo/los-funcionarios-sancionados-por-panama-por-blanqueo-capitales_228903 |work= El Nacional |language= es |date= 30 March 2018 |title= Los 55 funcionarios sancionados por Panamá por 'blanqueo de capitales' |access-date= 3 April 2019 }} Also at [https://www.mef.gob.pa/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Comunicado-002-2018.pdf Panama Economic and Finance Ministry] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190405215206/https://www.mef.gob.pa/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Comunicado-002-2018.pdf |date=2019-04-05 }}</ref> and 16 businesses that operate in Panama,<ref name="PanamaCompanies">{{cite news |url= http://efectococuyo.com/politica/panama-sanciona-a-nicolas-maduro-54-funcionarios-chavistas-y-a-16-empresas-relacionadas-lista/ |work= Efecto Cocuyo |title= Panamá sanciona a Nicolás Maduro, 54 funcionarios chavistas y a 16 empresas relacionadas (Lista) |date= 29 March 2018 |access-date= 4 April 2019 |author= Hermoso Fernandez, Jesus Noel |trans-title= Panama sanctions Nicolás Maduro, 54 Chavista officials and 16 related business (List) |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190405215211/http://efectococuyo.com/politica/panama-sanciona-a-nicolas-maduro-54-funcionarios-chavistas-y-a-16-empresas-relacionadas-lista/ |archive-date= 5 April 2019 |url-status= dead }} Also at [https://www.mef.gob.pa/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Comunicado-002-2018.pdf Panama Economic and Finance Ministry] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190405215206/https://www.mef.gob.pa/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Comunicado-002-2018.pdf |date=2019-04-05 }}</ref> related to the family of Flores.<ref name="PanamaSanctions">{{cite news |url= http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=2453678&CategoryId=10717 |work= Latin American Herald Tribune |date= 27 March 2018 |access-date= 3 April 2019 |title= Panama sanctions Venezuela, including Maduro & 1st Lady family companies |author= Camacho, Carlos |archive-date= 24 February 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210224235201/http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=2453678&CategoryId=10717 |url-status= dead }}</ref> The sanctioned businesses have members of the Malpica-Flores family on their boards of directors.<ref name="PanamaSanctions" /> The companies, headed by various members of Flores' family and recently created, were sanctioned for allegedly laundering money.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elcooperante.com/que-casualidad-las-16-empresas-sancionadas-por-panama-son-de-la-familia-de-cilita/|title=¡Qué casualidad! Empresas sancionadas por Panamá son de la familia de "Cilita" Flores {{!}} El Cooperante|date=2018-03-31|work=El Cooperante|access-date=2018-04-01|language=es-ES|archive-date=2018-04-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402101309/https://elcooperante.com/que-casualidad-las-16-empresas-sancionadas-por-panama-son-de-la-familia-de-cilita/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The US Treasury Department seized a private jet and imposed sanctions on Maduro's inner circle in September 2018;<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-45644074 |work= BBC |date= 25 September 2018 |access-date= 2 April 2019 |title= US imposes sanctions on Venezuela's First Lady Cilia Flores}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/gobierno/impuso-nuevas-sanciones-contra-funcionarios-del-gobierno-maduro_253136 |work= El Nacional |language= es |title= EE UU impuso nuevas sanciones contra funcionarios del gobierno de Maduro |date= 25 September 2018 |access-date= 2 April 2019}}</ref> Flores and top Maduro administration officials were sanctioned.<ref name="Treas25Sept2018">{{cite press release |url= https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm495 |publisher= U.S. Department of the Treasury |date= 25 September 2018 |access-date= 2 April 2019 |title= Treasury targets Venezuelan President Maduro's inner circle and proceeds of corruption in the United States}}</ref> Maduro responded to his wife's sanctions, saying: "You don't mess with Cilia. You don’tdon't mess with family. Don’tDon't be cowards! Her only crime [is] being my wife."<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.insightcrime.org/news/analysis/us-sanctions-venezuela-first-lady-solidify-countrys-mafia-state-status/ |publisher= InsightCrime |title= US Sanctions on Venezuela First Lady solidify country's Mafia State status |date= 27 September 2018 |access-date= 4 April 2019}}</ref> The United States said the sanctions were a response to the "plundering" of Venezuela's resources.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-sanctions-target-venezuelas-first-lady-and-presidents-inner-circle/2018/09/25/e5994c9d-11ff-4060-8f38-349ef14e2f27_story.html|title=U.S. sanctions target Venezuela's first lady and president's inner circle|work=[[The Washington Post]]|language=en|access-date=2018-09-27}}</ref>

Flores had herHer first marriage withwas to Walter Ramón Gavidia.<ref name=":0" /> She is now married to President Nicolás Maduro, whom she replaced as [[National Assembly (Venezuela)|President of the National Assembly]] in August 2006 when he resigned to become [[List of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Venezuela|Minister of Foreign Affairs]].<ref name="csm" /> The two had been in a romantic relationship since the 1990s when Flores was Hugo Chávez's lawyer following the [[1992 Venezuelan coup d'état attempts]]<ref name="APnephews">{{cite news|last1=Dreier|first1=Hannah|date=12 November 2015|title=US COURT: NEPHEWS OF VENEZUELA FIRST LADY HELD WITHOUT BAIL|agency=[[Associated Press]]|url=https://apnews.com/9278d1676305432d8c1c324a55002612|access-date=14 November 2015}}</ref> and were married in July 2013 months after Maduro became president.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Guererro|first1=Kay|last2=Dominguez|first2=Claudia|last3=Shoichet|first3=Catherine E.|date=12 November 2015|title=Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's family members indicted in U.S. court|agency=[[CNN]]|url=http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/11/americas/venezuela-president-family-members-arrested/|access-date=14 November 2015}}</ref>

Her husband Maduro has one son, [[Nicolás Maduro Guerra]], whom he appointed to senior government posts: Chief of the presidency's Special Inspectors Body, head of the National Film School, and a seat in the [[2017 Constituent National Assembly]],<ref name="FOXson">{{cite news|date=19 March 2015|title=Venezuelan president's son, Nicolas Maduro Jr., showered in dollar bills as economy collapses|agency=[[Fox News Latino]]|url=http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2015/03/19/venezuelan-president-son-nicolas-maduro-jr-showered-in-dollar-bills-as-economy/|access-date=20 March 2015}}</ref> while Flores has an adopted son, [[Efraín Campos|Efraín Antonio CamposCampo Flores]], who is her nephew (her deceased sister's son).<ref name=APnephews/>