What is Up with Carlos Cardoen??
What is up with Carlos Cardoen?
The arms dealer, top one relator with Iraq, banned from ever entering the United States, owner of vineyards and spur behind the formation of the Colchagua wine Valley to take the shape of a Napa Valley-esque appearance and form. My aunt says he is “de moda.” Fawning articles about his business savvy, high-class style, his wife´s manner of dealing with his colon cancer and wine business are abundant in the Chilean press.
A few weeks ago he was featured in a December 14th interview in La Tercera which I can´t reproduce because La Tercera is annoyingly tight with their archives, in which he spills the beans on what he really thinks about Pinochet. There were no hard questions asked.
Why is he so fucking special? Its clear that he is an accomplished man, but damn, he is an arms dealer who sold cluster bombs to Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980’s. Maybe its because he also able to make money selling matches, (even with growth numbers in lighters) as the majority owner of the Compañia Chilena de Fosforos. That must take balls. Do you think that was the calculus behind why one of Chile’s former top models, Pilar Jorquera, married him, or was it love? It would be great if she did it because of his balls to sell, according to his estimations, “out of Chile alone, almost $150 million dollars worth of material,” to Iraq.
About his only meeting with Saddam Hussein, Cardoen says, “Honestly, he seemed to me a fairly balanced man, very well informed and with a great elegance and dignity. He gave off the impression that he was not a man who acted without full information.”
Cardoen alleges that the US was always informed of his relationship with Iraq. Although it is not clear whether they knew that according to a very exhaustively researched 2003 San Francisco Chronicle article by Jason Hibbard, his profits were being channeled through a Florida investment account called Swissco. This Department website. The charges levied the for illegal export of zirconium, an element used in nuclear facilities and as an incendiary device in cluster devices, resulted in fines of multiple millions of dollars, and an arrest order on Cardoen. The words of the prosecuter who opened the civil suit in 1992, according to the SF Chronicle article,
Customs Commissioner Carol Hallett read from a statement worthy of Fox TV’s “America’s Most Wanted”: “Like a black widow spider, Cardoen controlled a tangled but intricate web that circled the globe. His dark empire was spun from the profits of destruction. I am thankful that today we have finally dropped the bomb on him.” Hallett explained how Cardoen had set up a “sophisticated organization” of shell companies and trust accounts to conceal more than $200 million that Iraq had paid for cluster bombs that were made from illegally exported materials. Through its suit, the government aimed to seize $30 million worth of real estate Swissco had purchased with the proceeds.
Carlos Cardoen was an arms dealer. He designed and made weapons meant to kill on a large scale. His star money maker were cluster bombs. They were apparently good for countering the “human-wave” strategy of the Iranian soldiers. The killing range of the bombs was a few football fields in area.
This is just the story that I am missing, that the vast majority of the Chilean public either don’t care about him, or don’t care about the death and destruction that he reaps by having been the architect behind the construction of a cluster bomb factory. But why is he always popping up in the news?
Death is something here that just isn’t that important. Maybe it’s just a far and distant concept that people are used to hearing about, but not seeing or experiencing. Or at least the people close to Cardoen.
How could one hang out at a dinner party with someone complicit in murder and business dealings with Saddam Hussein, not to mention an indirect relationship with Augusto Pinochet Ugarte. (Although he does have reservations about Pinochet’s style). Also, there are at least two mysterious deaths, one by hanging and poison (the journalist Jonathan Moyle (also linked to the murder of Gerardo Huber) and the other, Cardoen’s US representative, Nasser Beydoun, in Brazil) linked to Cardoen’s people and deals.
The callousness and inhumanity that he represents is astounding.
But what is mind boggling is that he now cultivates and image of himself as a cancer survivor, a man whose priority is local culture, represented by the Museum of the Huaso in the city of Santa Cruz and general community interests. Even stranger, he wanted to set up a museum in homage to the deceased Chilean folk muse of the 1960’s and 70’s, Violeta Parra. See the La Nacion Domingo article for why and how this strange courtship fell apart.
After Ted Kennedy passed a bill prohibiting arms sales to Chile in 1976, Cardoen stepped in to fill the gap and began designing and commercializing weaponry and bombs for the Chilean market. It was a tense time.
But he is maybe, an interesting man. Is he an honorable man, even, as he affirms in this interview with Radio La Cooperativa last year. He accuses Pinochet of giving authorization to the government arms manufacturing and procurement agency, Famae, of making unauthorized copies of his bombs, and selling them to Iran. The reason for the sale to Iran, “According to what I have been told, everything points to Pinochet authorizing the sale of arms to Iran because there were economic incentives. Commissions.”
They were poor copies and according to Cardoen, resulted in a malfunctioning during a test run, exploding soon after deployment that killed a famous Iranian fighter pilot and destroyed the F-5 fighter plane.
He has had a chapter of his life in which he conversed routinely with Fidel Castro. He expresses respect and concern for him. Fidel intervened to get his bomb-makers safely out of Iraq. He sent him a letter recently hoping for his quick recuperation from his illness. Another sideshow on that story. His connection to Fidel was through Max Marambio, a former member of Salvador Allende´s security forces, the GAP, and member of the radical and violent leftist group the MIR. As is the case of Miguel Enriquez and his fancy in women, the line between the MIR and the right wing is only millimeters.
Recent news that a young film director, Igal Weitzman, is planning on setting his life to the big screen is gut-wrenching, sickening. More so when this young filmmaker, who is currently producing videos for James Iha, of the Smashing Pumpkins, and has sat down with Naomi Watts to pitch projects in New York City, describes the attraction of the story of Carlos Cardoen as thus: “To show a man born and raised in Chile, in which his destiny brings him to a moment of historical climax: the 90’s in Iraq with Saddam and Bush father, the two of which he faced with bravery. And later, he faced a second battle here in Chile, cancer.”
Pobrecito. Thats a great story to bring to the screen. I heart cluster-bombs. I heart Carlos Cardoen. I heart Saddam Hussein.
Chile From Within 
Fascinating, horrible! OK so men of power love other men of power, whether Saddam or Fidel. But for a young filmmaker to… Is this a sick version of the new, depoliticized nationalism you cautiously applaud? or the most abject celebrity-fawning? what kind of image does he think CC will give the world of his beloved country?
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Hi,
Very interesting is your narration, but it should be interesting to know why such kind of person appear. If you try to answer that question at least you will find a common denominator, The USA government…. If you take a look the history of Latin America corresponding to the last few years you will agree with me.
Alejandro,
Tis true, I make very little mention of the US government, which in hindsight, is a glaring omission and an uncritical draft.
Which recent events in Latin American history are you talking about…in the last couple of years?
Your question of “interesting to know why such kind of person (should) appear)” is at the heart of Cardoen.
War and intervention is a wonderful business opportunity and economic stimulator, which the folks at the Bush White House and many others before him have realized. The defense industry continues to reap the profits of these sorts of political decisions.
Cardoen is a succesful entrepeneur. Although specifically, I am not sure of the role of American foreign policy in starting or fomenting the decade long conflict between Iran and Iraq, the context within which Cardoen stepped in to play.
Why does your country blame Carlos Cardoen of being an “arms dealer”? the US government sold weapons to saddamn husein too… and it was for money, and carlos did the same thing for money too… and the US sells weapons to a lot of countries for money… and Carlos Cardoen is called an “arms dealer”??? dude… WTF!??!?!
Ok, the United States is an arms dealer as well. This isn’t my point.
The point is that arms “selling” or dealing is shady and leads to death and destruction all too often of innocent people.
Lets make the parallel with drugs in the inner city. When is it sold and when is it dealing?
I am trying to go into my mental dictionary of english language usage, one “sells” marijuana and “deals” crack cocaine.
What is the difference, in my world? A perception of both legal issues and ethical issues.
Marijuana when sold often finances personal consumption by the seller, and in the viewpoint of those who sell it, has little detrimental impact upon society.
Crack cocaine in the inner cities of Washington, Baltimore and New York, for example, was sold, or “dealt” for great personal profit in general by people who did not consume it and did not directly (debatable) experience the consequences of enslaving addiction, aside from when having bloody shoot-outs in turf wars for dealing rights.
That said, Cardoen produce and “dealt” or “sold”, me da igual, cluster bombs and land mines, two of the most deadly weapons that have had particularly acute impact upon civilian populations.
The US has a history of human rights nastiness which I know about generally, but not in detail, but is ten-fold worse, lets say, than Cardoen.
THAT is my point.
With all my respect.
I’ve been passing your article in a journalism workshop, in front of many impressed students that just can’t believe how bad informed gringos can talk about latin american life, just like they tell the plot for the last Sylvester Stallone silly movie.
Your facts are not accurate. Carlos Cardoen is an engineering genius, not a criminal. I know him, I know his family, one of his sons is a very good friend of mine, and they are not – for sure – people who support killings and authoritarism. Instead, they are warm people, with so much passion for chilean culture and historic legacy.
In the name of culture and progress, you may deal with ethics crossroads, but in any case that implies that you are a killer or a heartless business man.
Maybe you are just a bored gringo messing with latin history, or just a poor chileno trying to find his voice in a crowded place.
But, please, don’t play with real people.
Hello Julio,
I appreciate your commentary. Let me be very clear that my intention is not to play with real people.
Mr. Cardoen may be an engineering genius and a warm person. But the facts are that he applied his genius to design weapons and bombs.
Is that fact not accurate?
He made money because people wanted weapons and bombs to kill other people.
Is that not accurate?
Weapons and bombs are meant for war, and for killing people.
Is that not accurate?
Saddam Hussein used bombs to kill people in his own country.
Is that not accurate?
My issue is not Cardoen. My issue is how people like you don’t question a man whose main business is weapons manufacturing.
Please tell me, what facts are not accurate in my article so I can try to correct them in my article.
I certain never called him a criminal. You assumed that I thought of him as a criminal, right?
But, it seems you still understand what I am getting at when you say:
“In the name of culture and progress, you may deal with ethics crossroads, but in any case that implies that you are a killer or a heartless business man.”
Im assuming that you meant “but in any case it (does not) imply that you are a killer or a heartless business man”
This is partially my point. I think there is complicity in killing or heartlessness because you sell weapons which kill people.
I would be interesting in your thoughts on Responsabilidad Social Empresarial (RSE) and ethics in business.
Saludos,
Tomas
Most intresting debate, congratulations. All I can say is, fortunately, we chileans only have Cardoen to deal with in our entrepreneurial conscience, no Chenneys, Bushs nor Haliburtons in sight so far.
Still, we have to deal with Mac Donalds and all that kind of crap americans sell world wide, in detriment of the health of millions.
My dear friend, even though your point is right to make, yo lead us off track. The real question is, why do we let business men and companies from the so called “developed world” get away with most anything they want to do? Why do we let global companies exploit and instill practices whcih have been banned in their very own countries? Speaking of ethical crossroads, why do american companies seek to operate abroad and do not comply with the very rules their home nations have implemented for their homeland operations? Aren’t americans a bit far from the spirit of their forefathers? Or is the protection of the american way of life the only real “value”?
Hi there Fernando,
Point taken on Cheney and Halliburton and other elements of the so-called Texas Mafia which has run rampant on our country and tainted people’s conception of our way of life. Im not sure about the american way of life anymore. Life, liberty, happiness??? 2/3 of U.S. economic growth is derived from consumer spending.
Furthermore look at the rampant pursuit of profit and reduction of costs, while delivering unethically high pay packages to top CEO’s. Also, the finance class of people, the people who make money off of other people’s money, seek commissions increasingly and constant improving returns on investments that are often unrealistic and unhealthy in the long-run.
The US is now run by finance men on Wall Street, driving up oil through speculation on future prices, for example.
Regarding McDonalds and Cardoen. First, and to return the discussion back to the blog post, is Cardoen representative of the developed world in selling cluster bombs to Hussein? or unrepresentative, because the violence of those bombs is similar to the violence exercised upon so many Chileans during the late 70s and 80s?
Regardless, the prevalence of McDonalds is an indication of how good a Big Mac and the special sauce (ingenious!!), as well as the weakness of local entrepreneurship. I would much prefer a Chilean chain poisoning the eating habits of the people…a much more interesting issue, than a foreign company.
McDonalds is healthy…where have you been…they have salads, you know and have banned transfats.
The reason why “we let business men and companies” from the developed world do whatever they want…is because the local countries are weak….
Chile’s identity is weak…consumers are slaves for trying to consume everything that McDonalds represents, and the state is weak in valuing the investments of these companies over the obesity, for example, that comes along when people shift their diets to this sort of food, and away from their past, more healthy diet.
Does anybody know anything about Argentine fast-food habits?
But, hey, McDonald’s brings lots of employment.
Good for the Socialists come election time.
Lo más bonito el comentario al respecto de quien ayer siendo una niña inglesa de cabellos dorados y ojos azul cielo mediterráneo meditó y observó bajo el cielo de nuestro país. No me cabe duda que miró extasiada luego de un día de lluvia nuestros gigantescos cerros de piedra y hielo completamente nevados y las maravillosas y viejísimas encinas que había en el que era en ese entonces su colegio, y que unos pocos años después en un crudo invierno los extrangeros con cultura imperialista (Maudet, coty etc.) cortaron e hicieron leña para sus chimeneas, lo que no hicieron los vecinos Chilenos. Me cuesta mucho creer en la veracidad de la ética y moral imperialista. Le dijeron a los países subdesarrollados que produjeran alimentos ya que sus pueblos se morían de hambre pero creo que lo hicieron porque veían que cada día les costaba más a ellos producirlos y esperaban que los países subdesarrollados se los vendieran a bajo precio. En Inglaterra se extinguieron los gorriones y en toda Francia no se encuentra una sola encina como las que había en el patio de su colegio.
Lo más bonito, el comentario al respecto de Lorna Scott Fox. Me parece valioso porque siendo una niña inglesa de cabellos dorados y ojos azul cielo mediterráneo meditó y nos observó bajo el cielo de nuestro país. No me cabe duda que miró extasiada luego de un día de lluvia nuestros gigantescos cerros de piedra y hielo completamente nevados y las maravillosas y viejísimas encinas que había en el que era en ese entonces su colegio, y que unos pocos años después en un crudo invierno los extrangeros con cultura imperialista (Maudet, coty etc.) cortaron e hicieron leña para sus chimeneas, lo que no hicieron lni han hecho hasta la fecha los vecinos Chilenos. Me cuesta mucho creer en la veracidad de la ética y moral imperialista. Le dijeron a los países subdesarrollados que produjeran alimentos ya que sus pueblos se morían de hambre pero lo hicieron porque veían que cada día les costaba más a ellos producirlos y esperaban que los países subdesarrollados se los vendieran a bajo precio. En Inglaterra se extinguieron los gorriones y en toda Francia no se encuentra una sola encina como las que había en el patio del colegio donde estudió cuando niña Lorna Scott Fox.
Scoop: Here’s how The SISMI was to kidnap Carlos Remigio Cardoen.
News is source from the portal of Indymedia to the link:
http://piemonte.indymedia.org/article/6564
Other sensational revelations come to light correspondence from the super-confidential as on the SISMI’s agent Altana Pietro was arrested in 2004 by the magistrate Anna Canepa.
In Italy the Nicolò Pollari SISMI’s (Italian Military Secret Service) was to kidnap the largest international arms dealer: Carlos Remigio Cardoen Cornejo. Once abducted (pardon ‘arrested’ … after Abu Omar is not elegant to use some jargon) the arms dealer more dangerous in the world he would have been used as barter with the U.S.A.
Carlos Remigio Cardoen Cornejo is one of “most wanted fuggitive” and international research by the American CIA and FBI for selling disgusting weapons to countries around the world (the weapons are all crap but deadly “cluster bomb”better known as cluster bombs are even more). But the thing that was most angry George Bush Jr was that Cardoen is the trusted provider of Baghdad’s rais Saddam Hussein.
We come to our country. What is the role of Italy?
In 2002 the Chilean arms dealer would have to come to Italy. A very secret meeting to be held near Portofino: for precision in the village of San Michele di Pagana, lovely lakeside town close to Paraggi in the beautiful setting of the Gulf of Tigullio. In this enchanting place stands the luxurious summer residence of a prominent lawyer business law firm in Genoa. In Genoa’s Court file name of the mysterious lawyer was properly shielded with an “omitted” (so we are able to reveal the name).
The military secret service agent (SISMI) Altana Pietro comes to know of the secret meeting.
Altana Pietro is (as we have seen in the previous installments on Indymedia) is one of the men under Nicolò Pollari General (former Director of Military Intelligence). He is employed as an infiltrator in Genoa in social centers, for spying the Iranians of Irasco (which is currently under a rogatory USA) and to investigate many companies of high finance and important lawyers business (this explains the interest of military intelligence for a certain type of “business lawyer”).
As mentioned, near Portofino was to be this summit between: Carlos Remigio Cardoen, his man of confidence in Italy Augusto Giangrandi – person known to the CIA is already arrested and deported from the U.S. for arms trafficking – mysterious lawyer business, and an Italian industrial Mr. Ing. Sergio Pucciarini.
Who is Sergio Pucciarini? It ‘a former official of “Decima MAS” (the famous raiders of the special unit of the Royal Italian Navy then merged in Comsubin). The Ing. Pucciarini is CEO and owner of COSMOS Spa of Livorno. Tuscany industry specializing in Submarines manufacturing. For the precision Cosmos has a niche business that interest a lot to Saddam Hussein, and has developed a excellence technologyc know how that allows them to build a prototype of “Minisubmarine” can easily be adapted for use in war. Suitably armed the Minisubmarine can become another deadly weapon (best of “cluster bomb”).
The “Midget submarine MG110LR, SX756/S e SX908/PA” – these are the initials of minisubmarine – becomes the new object of desire of the Rais. Saddam Hussein for some time dreaming of being able to get their hands on these Italians jewels. Would very handy in the war against Iran (in the Persian Gulf Saddam has nothing to tackle the strategic naval forces of the Ayatollah).
Besides Saddam’s military advisers familiar with the Cosmos Midget Minisubmarine because they’ve already seen in action in some drills in Pakistan (Pakistan Navy has also purchased some from Pucciarini). Who better than Cardoen could be used to satisfy the desires of the spicotic Iraqi dictator? Carlos Cardoen, from his office in Santiago, Chile organizes everything.
Together Giangrandi study the Cosmos business and all possible triangulations. In fact export minisubmarines is virtually impossible. The embargo on Iraq is very close (although craps made during the period of “Oil for Food” show the contrary) also transport in pieces is very problematic. Giangrandi has a brilliant idea. Why having to buy every single minisubmarine unit + spare parts + warehouse, and everything else and not directly buy the whole company? It ‘a genial idea! On this basis takes off on the deal. In the game there are a lot of money. Many, many money. And almost all in “black”. Black as oil. The dictator does not mind spending. To have the Cosmos company makes available to Cardoen digits to six zeros (in $). The Iraqi crude-oil traded circumventing the UN sanctions with the S.O.M.O. (oil company of Saddam who used the ploy of the great “Oil for Food” to bypass the U.S. Embargo) produces stratospheric profits. At that time many weds businessman become millionaires overnight. Barter Agreements are concluded underhand own with all (remains haunted by Saddam’s business also son of UN Secretary Kofy Annan). The off-shore accounts of Saddam overflow of cash that they literally did not see a chance to be spent. The Ing. Pucciarini instead has the water to the throat and has a tremendous need of money. For a (beautiful) handful of billions combines the deal and the Cosmos changing hands. Something less than $ 100 million at the time.
So Cosmos becomes the property of the Tecnologie Marine Italiana and Italtech (a company owned by Giangrandi with silent partner Cardoen) with Augusto Giangrandi as Sole Administrator (to appear Cardoen buyer Cosmos would be in bad taste).
But in the closing of the transaction – during the act of merger of Cosmos in the Tecnologie Marine Italiana – Giangrandi wants overdo, and does come out even companies linked directly to Carlos Cardoen as Cardoen International CIMSA (Rue des Alps, 7 Ginevra – Svizzera), Industrias Cardoen LTDA (Los Conquistadores, 1700, Piso 28 – Santiago del Cile) Inkel Company NV, Swisstech and Swissco (all occurring as guarantor).
Cosmos is paid a 50% cash and a 50% ‘black’ to get around the tax and (for obvious reasons) so as not to amounts which – both buyers and seller of Cosmos – do not want to appear. For peace of Pucciarini Cardoen and Giangrandi the sign and an informal “bank guarantee” of $ 34 million (two signatures on white paper headline that anyone could write).
At this point refined intrigue. The “cat and the fox” of the duo Giangrandi / Cardoen have a stroke of genius. Cosmos is already in their hands and have only paid half in cash (plus or minus) of the value of the holding of submarines. Officially, the company has already been paid and there are still a lot of money to be paid the balance. If you do not give anything to Pucciarini the “cat and the fox” you can put in your pocket almost $ 40 million.
And so it happens. Pucciarini no longer receives money from the other “black fund” gets very upset and threatened action heavy. First try with good manners (Cosmos ago notify an injunction). He wants his money. But nothing happens. Then back to the famous l business awyer who organized to purpose an arbitration, summoning to court the “cat and the fox” (There is nothing better than an arbitration to handle uncomfortable stories away from prying eyes). But Cardoen and Pucciarini are far from it. They are in Santiago of Chile to enjoy the Pucciarini’s millions of dollars.
Carlos Remigio Cardoen but be very careful never to set foot in Italy. Maybe he smelled a trap. Maybe more who knows. What really happened is not possible to know. Only the 007 agent Altana Pietro, the Court of Genoa (and the Military Intelligence Service) know about this ongoing story. What is certain is that the 007 intelligent team of Nicolò Pollari there was very bad. Were not able to get a another chance to capture Cardoen. By the Court of Genoa the confidential Dossier signed “Peter Altana / SISMI” in the meantime has also mysteriously disappeared (maybe just changed cabinet after Indymedia’s raids… but which one? Boh).
Nicolo Pollari and Marco Mancini with a bitter taste in mouth then console themselves with the Imam Abu Omar (meanwhile have the impunity guaranteed by the state).
Carlo Remigio Cardoen instead, although still one of the most wanted men on the planet (his picture is among the first signs of “most wanted fugitive” by the CIA and FBI) is still there in Chile, near the capital, who enjoys life at large. Undisturbed as ever. He and his business (first with Pinochet now with the current government). Cardoen continues to be the merchant of death, and manages several hotels (have some resorts). In his free time does the grower, and produces in its Fazenda near Santiago an excellent wine very valuable and appreciated. Very refined and wanted (over him).
The important sommelier they say it’s very similar to the fine Italian wine Chianti in Tuscany. Perhaps it is the only honest know how that is successful in export from Italy.
Hello there! This blog post could not be written any better!
Looking at this post reminds me of my previous roommate!
He always kept talking about this. I most certainly will forward this article to him.
Fairly certain he will have a great read. Many thanks for sharing!
Hello there! This is kind of off topic but I need some guidance from an established
blog. Is it tough to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I can figure things out pretty quick. I’m
thinking about setting up my own but I’m not sure where to start. Do you have any ideas or suggestions? Appreciate it
It’s great that you are getting ideas from this piece of writing as well as from our discussion made here.
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You north americans play like you never have create a bomb before and acting like white doves or something.. let me tell you how many families have your government destroy by sending bombs created by your own
Go Carlos.