SAIME (formerly ONIDEX) is a Venezuelan government institution, traditionally in charge of Civil registry services. The name derives from the Spanish acronym for Servicio Administrativo de Identificación, Migración y Extranjería (Administrative Service of Identification, Migration and Foreigners). The function of this government office is to issue passports, identity cards for immigrants, and other legal nationality documents for Venezuelan citizens and residents. Currently, the director of the institution is Gustavo Vizcaino [es].[1]
Administrative Service of Identification, Migration and Foreigners
ONIDEX Caracas
Government Agency overview
Formed
December 31, 1941; 82 years ago (1941-12-31) as the Central Identification Office
Preceding Government Agency
National Office of Identification and Foreigners (ONIDEX)
On 8 February 2017, a joint CNN and CNN en Español year-long investigation called "Passports in the Shadows" (Spanish: Pasaportes en la sombra) - based on the information provided by a whistleblower and subsequent investigations, reported that employees of the Venezuelan embassy in Baghdad, Iraq has been selling passports and visas to persons from Middle Eastern countries (specifically Syria, Palestine, Iran, Iraq and Pakistan) with dubious backgrounds for profits. The SAIME confirmed the sold passports' genuineness as each passport came with an assigned national identification number, although the names of the individuals were altered when checking against the national database. At least one individual's place of birth was also changed from Iraq to Venezuela. According to Misael López Soto, a former employee at the Venezuelan embassy in Iraq who was also a lawyer and CICPC officer, the Bolivarian government would sell authentic passports to individuals from the Middle East, with the Venezuelan passport able to access 130 countries throughout the world without a visa requirement. López provided CNN documents showing how his superiors attempted to cover up the sale of passports, which were being sold from $5,000 to $15,000 per passport. López Soto fled the Venezuelan embassy in Iraq in 2015 to meet with the FBI in Spain, with a Venezuelan official who assisted him to fly out of the country being killed the same day. The investigation also found that between 2008 and 2012, Aragua GovernorTareck El Aissami ordered for hundreds of Middle Eastern individuals to obtain illegal passports, including members of Hezbollah.[2][3]
The Venezuelan foreign minister, Delcy Rodríguez, denied the government's involvement when questioned by the reporters during the Seventy-first session of the United Nations General Assembly and accused the network of performing what she described as an "imperialistic media operation" against Venezuela for airing the investigation.[4] On 14 February 2017, Venezuelan authorities ceased the broadcasting of CNN en Español two days after the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, ordered CNN to "(get) well away from here".[5][6]
The government deemed the report "(A threat to) the peace and democratic stability of our Venezuelan people since they generate an environment of intolerance."[7] Venezuelan National Commission of Telecommunications director Andrés Eloy Méndez accused CNN en Español of instigating religious, racial and political hatred, violence and other themes.[8][9]
Referencesedit
^Granados, Kelly (July 4, 2016). "Juan Carlos Dugarte es designado nuevamente como Director del Saime". 2001.com.ve. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
^Zamost, Scott; Griffin, Drew; Guerrero, Kay; Romo, Rafael (8 February 2017). "Venezuela may have given passports to people with ties to terrorism". CNN. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
^"Diplomático venezolano denunció la entrega de documentos a terroristas | Venezuela, Terrorismo, Hezbollah – América". Infobae. 24 November 2015. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
^Venezuela may have given passports to people with ties to terrorism
^Venezuelan president says he wants CNN out of country just days after report on passports, visas being sold in Iraq
^"Venezuela bans CNN after report alleges Iraq passport fraud". BBC News. from the original on 2023-04-23.
^Steve Almasy (16 February 2017). "CNN en Español kicked off air in Venezuela". cnn.com. from the original on 2017-03-27.
^"CNN en Español kicked off air in Venezuela". 16 February 2017.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to SAIME.
Servicio Administrativo de Identificación Migración y Extranjería (SAIME) (in Spanish)
April 12, 2024
saime, formerly, onidex, venezuelan, government, institution, traditionally, charge, civil, registry, services, name, derives, from, spanish, acronym, servicio, administrativo, identificación, migración, extranjería, administrative, service, identification, mi. SAIME formerly ONIDEX is a Venezuelan government institution traditionally in charge of Civil registry services The name derives from the Spanish acronym for Servicio Administrativo de Identificacion Migracion y Extranjeria Administrative Service of Identification Migration and Foreigners The function of this government office is to issue passports identity cards for immigrants and other legal nationality documents for Venezuelan citizens and residents Currently the director of the institution is Gustavo Vizcaino es 1 Administrative Service of Identification Migration and ForeignersONIDEX CaracasGovernment Agency overviewFormedDecember 31 1941 82 years ago 1941 12 31 as the Central Identification OfficePreceding Government AgencyNational Office of Identification and Foreigners ONIDEX JurisdictionNationalHeadquartersCaracas Distrito CapitalGovernment Agency executiveGustavo Vizcaino DirectorParent Government AgencyMinistry of Interior Justice and PeaceWebsitehttp www saime gob ve in Spanish History editOn 8 February 2017 a joint CNN and CNN en Espanol year long investigation called Passports in the Shadows Spanish Pasaportes en la sombra based on the information provided by a whistleblower and subsequent investigations reported that employees of the Venezuelan embassy in Baghdad Iraq has been selling passports and visas to persons from Middle Eastern countries specifically Syria Palestine Iran Iraq and Pakistan with dubious backgrounds for profits The SAIME confirmed the sold passports genuineness as each passport came with an assigned national identification number although the names of the individuals were altered when checking against the national database At least one individual s place of birth was also changed from Iraq to Venezuela According to Misael Lopez Soto a former employee at the Venezuelan embassy in Iraq who was also a lawyer and CICPC officer the Bolivarian government would sell authentic passports to individuals from the Middle East with the Venezuelan passport able to access 130 countries throughout the world without a visa requirement Lopez provided CNN documents showing how his superiors attempted to cover up the sale of passports which were being sold from 5 000 to 15 000 per passport Lopez Soto fled the Venezuelan embassy in Iraq in 2015 to meet with the FBI in Spain with a Venezuelan official who assisted him to fly out of the country being killed the same day The investigation also found that between 2008 and 2012 Aragua Governor Tareck El Aissami ordered for hundreds of Middle Eastern individuals to obtain illegal passports including members of Hezbollah 2 3 The Venezuelan foreign minister Delcy Rodriguez denied the government s involvement when questioned by the reporters during the Seventy first session of the United Nations General Assembly and accused the network of performing what she described as an imperialistic media operation against Venezuela for airing the investigation 4 On 14 February 2017 Venezuelan authorities ceased the broadcasting of CNN en Espanol two days after the Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro ordered CNN to get well away from here 5 6 The government deemed the report A threat to the peace and democratic stability of our Venezuelan people since they generate an environment of intolerance 7 Venezuelan National Commission of Telecommunications director Andres Eloy Mendez accused CNN en Espanol of instigating religious racial and political hatred violence and other themes 8 9 References edit Granados Kelly July 4 2016 Juan Carlos Dugarte es designado nuevamente como Director del Saime 2001 com ve Retrieved February 15 2017 Zamost Scott Griffin Drew Guerrero Kay Romo Rafael 8 February 2017 Venezuela may have given passports to people with ties to terrorism CNN Retrieved 14 February 2017 Diplomatico venezolano denuncio la entrega de documentos a terroristas Venezuela Terrorismo Hezbollah America Infobae 24 November 2015 Retrieved 8 February 2017 Venezuela may have given passports to people with ties to terrorism Venezuelan president says he wants CNN out of country just days after report on passports visas being sold in Iraq Venezuela bans CNN after report alleges Iraq passport fraud BBC News Archived from the original on 2023 04 23 Steve Almasy 16 February 2017 CNN en Espanol kicked off air in Venezuela cnn com Archived from the original on 2017 03 27 Venezuela pulls CNN for distorting truth CNN en Espanol kicked off air in Venezuela 16 February 2017 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to SAIME Servicio Administrativo de Identificacion Migracion y Extranjeria SAIME in Spanish Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title SAIME amp oldid 1212969003, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
