Harvard Academic Targeted by Venezuela for Helping Guaido

(Bloomberg) -- Nicolas Maduro’s government will reach out to Harvard University to try to contain the efforts of a Venezuelan academic who is proving to be a thorn in their side.

Jose Ignacio Hernandez, who is both a faculty member at Harvard’s Center for International Development and the attorney general for opposition leader Juan Guaido, has led the legal charge for Maduro’s foes this year in an attempt to safeguard assets and defend the country against creditor claims.

But Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, said Tuesday at a news conference that she will send documents to Harvard -- which she called Hernandez’s “hideout” -- that detail his plan “to steal Venezuela’s assets abroad.”

“He is the criminal mind going after the financial resources of the government and PDVSA, against the gold and debt,” Rodriguez added, in reference to the state-run oil company.

Guaido, the 36-year-old parliamentary chief recognized as Venezuela’s legitimate leader by almost 60 countries, took control of Citgo, a PDVSA subsidiary in the U.S., earlier this year. Rodriguez said Citgo is at risk of being seized by creditors after a U.S. appeals court ruled Monday that Canadian gold mining firm Crystallex can continue its efforts to take control of the company.

Hernandez declined to comment about Rodriguez’s accusations. Both Harvard University’s media relations department and the Center for International Development had no immediate comment.

To contact the reporter on this story: Alex Vasquez in Caracas Office at avasquez45@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Patricia Laya at playa2@bloomberg.net, Daniel Cancel, Robert Jameson

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