Pledge to save jobs in company in laundering storm

AS ABDUL WAKED,  the target   of US money laundering investigators goes public to complain of no government contact,   Deputy Minister of Economía Iván Zarak has  reiterated the intentions of the government to preserve the jobs of the companies in the Waked Group that have been placed on the Clinton list by US authorities.

“We can do one of two things right now: sit with crossed arms and complain about the situation or do something to stabilize the companies and protect the jobs of these workers,” the deputy minister told La Prensa

Tuesday, Abdul Waked, president of the Waked Group, complained because the government did not want to speak “directly” with him.

Zarak described the comments as “unfortunate” because of the conversations being carried out with the US authorities, which includes the participation of lawyers, advisers and managers of the Waked Group.

“It is a slightly delicate time right now,” he said.

Zarak indicated that the government is trying to ensure the companies receive licenses that allows them to operate normally and preserve jobs until the situation with the U.S. authorities can be resolved by the Wakeds.

He also rejected any notion that the government sought to harm the Waked Group.

Abdul Waked said that he has 5,100 employees in 11 countries, of which about 3,000 are in Panama. He also claims to owe banks and suppliers $480 million.

On May 5, the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the Department of the Treasury included 68 companies linked to the Waked Group on the Clinton list for their alleged connection to drug trafficking. The U.S. government said the companies were used to launder drug money.