Politically Exposed Person (PEP) Weekly Digest – Volume 65

PEP Weekly Digest Vol 65

Introducing the 65th edition of The PEP Weekly Digest, where we present the most recent updates and news on the global political stage.

Recent and upcoming elections influence the worldwide political landscape in eight nations, slated between Jul 28, 2024, and Sep 21, 2024. These elections hold significant importance, as they will determine the direction and governance of each respective country’s future.

Venezuela Cabinet Reshuffle Amid Contested Election

One noteworthy event has occurred in Venezuela, President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday made major changes to his cabinet, including leadership of the oil and finance ministries and state oil company PDVSA, after a contested election both the ruling party and the opposition claim to have won. Anabel Pereira is the new finance minister, while Hector Obregon is the new president of PDVSA, replacing Pedro Tellechea, who will move to head the Industry Ministry, Maduro said on state television.

Vice President Delcy Rodriguez will remain in her post, but add the oil ministry to her brief, Maduro added. Yvan Gil and Vladimir Padrino will remain in their respective posts as foreign minister and defense minister, Maduro said, while ruling party leader Diosdado Cabello will be the new interior, justice and peace minister.

Leadership Changes in Vietnam’s National Assembly

Shifting our focus to Vietnam, the National Assembly voted to appoint three new deputy prime ministers, a new environment minister and a new justice minister during one-day extraordinary meeting in Hanoi that had been called to deal with personnel issues. The new deputy prime ministers announced during the meeting, which was broadcast live on national television, are foreign minister Bui Thanh Son, finance minister Ho Duc Phoc and chief justice Nguyen Hoa Binh.

The meeting also ended the terms of two deputy prime ministers. Tran Luu Quang was appointed as head of the Communist Party’s Central Economic Committee last week, while Le Minh Khai had been disciplined by the Politburo earlier this month “for violating party rules”. Changes come after a period of political turbulence during which two state presidents and a parliament speaker stepped down over accusations of “wrongdoing”.

New Governor Appointed in Georgia’s Imereti Region

In Georgia, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Tuesday appointed Levan Zalkaliani as a new State Representative in the country’s western Imereti region. At the meeting, Kobakhidze wished the new governor success in his future endeavours, the Georgian Government Administration said.

In his previous capacity, Zalkaliani was a Mayor of western Georgia’s Tsageri Municipality, before which he served as the Deputy State Representative in the country’s western Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti region. He also worked as an investigator and prosecutor in Georgia’s Prosecutor’s Office and held a prosecutor’s position in the country’s northwestern city of Ambrolauri for 11 years.

Nordea Bank Fined $35 Million Over Compliance Failures

In the realm of regulatory affairs, New York’s financial regulator imposed a $35 million fine against Nordea Bank over alleged compliance failures at the Nordic bank. The New York State Department of Financial Services said it found significant deficiencies in Nordea’s anti-money-laundering programs at its branches in the Baltics and Denmark. The regulator also determined Nordea failed to conduct sufficient due diligence on its correspondent banking relationships and its transaction monitoring system was inadequate, according to a consent order published Tuesday.

Helsinki-based Nordea, licensed to operate a foreign bank branch in New York, had more than $627 billion in total assets by 2023. The bank was highlighted in the 2016 Panama Papers leak, when documents were published that detailed alleged offshore bank accounts held by prominent people worldwide. The leak exposed Nordea’s alleged role in helping hundreds of customers set up shell companies using offshore accounts.

Former Clark County Official Sentenced for Murder

Shifting our attention to legal advancements, In the United States, Former Clark County official Robert Telles was convicted of killing a Las Vegas newspaper reporter earlier this week. The verdict, read just after noon Wednesday, found Telles guilty of first-degree murder for the 2022 killing of Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German, plus two enhancements.

The penalty phase was held later in the afternoon, and the same jurors sentenced Telles to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years. The jury deliberated for three days. The case was submitted after closing arguments on Monday capped off a two-week trial full of exhibits and witness testimony, including from Telles himself.

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