Memo to Ronald McLean Abaroa, spokesman for the Nicaragua Canal project

 

Dear Ronald:

I see that you are the leading spokesperson for the Nicaragua Canal Project. I read it in the excellent website the HKND group has posted: http://hknd-group.com/about-hknd/. You bring impeccable credentials to this position, having been a successful Mayor of La Paz, Bolivia and a distinguished officer of the World Bank. Your accomplishments against Latin American government corruption have gained you credibility in the region.

I wish you the best of luck but I have a feeling you might be putting your reputation at risk in this new enterprise. This deal between the government of Nicaragua and the Chinese Group you represent has not been made with the degree of transparency the Group claims in its website. It has been pounded into approval by Daniel Ortega, a notoriously murky operator. On the other side, the owner of the Group, young and rich Mr. Wang Jing, seems to be a rather mysterious entrepreneur. The website does not give much information about him or the company that is promoting a $40 billion project. Have they had previous experience in construction? This is a gigantic project. Where will be the money coming from? You do not find $40 billion easily. So far I only see that BALBA, the Bank of ALBA, wants in. It is as if the Boy Scouts were joining a war against a large army.

What is a person of your credentials doing in that company?

Everything that I have seen, so far, about this project, sounds phony to me. All, except you. Even then, dear Ronald, I would not be able to vouch for it. I cannot call it a fraud since that would be unfair at this early stage. But I think I can call it speculative.