Based on a year-long investigation, this story traces Prieto’s rise from petty gangster to governor. It reveals how he turned the local police into his private militia, abusing and extorting the population, cracking down on dissent, and embarking on a rampage of extrajudicial killings. And it shows how Prieto’s inner circle grew rich and powerful amid accusations of their involvement in extortion, contraband smuggling, embezzlement, and illegal expropriations.
The investigation also follows Prieto’s fall from power as his corruption spiraled out of control, featuring insider accounts of how his electoral last stand in his hometown of San Francisco descended into deadly violence.
The story of the rise and fall of Omar Prieto offers an astonishing portrait of corruption in Venezuela today and a stark illustration of how at one of the most tumultuous moments in Venezuelan history, much of the state itself has become a criminal enterprise.
We invite you to explore the full investigation, available on our website.
