Venezuelan Aluminium Nationals SA under immense scrutiny even after one year of closure

Venezuelan state-owned enterprise Aluminium Nationals SA (Alunasa) halted operations in Costa Rica almost one year ago, laying out a debt evaluation of R$19 million. As official apprentices claim, the debt has not only affected the workers but also impacted the Costa Rican coffers. Alunasa is one of the biggest aluminium products organisations in Costa Rica and it mainly deals in aluminium laminated sheets and semi-ready aluminium components made from ingots. 

The default was orchestrated during the government of Nicolás Maduro, and as explained by the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS), going by the Argentine portal Infobae, it could be determined that Alunasa’s operations were stopped one year back.

Though the company was charged R$8.2 million for labour charges and R$10.8 million in CCSS, a third sale amount yet to be calculated by officials has also been accredited to the company. These costs will cover the social security and medical expenses of former workers.

Marte Eugenia Esquivel Rodríguez, the president of the CCSS, on November 7 exclaimed that she plans on using a “heavy hand” against the Venezuelan state-owned company, Alunasa if it fails to keep “the payment commitment to former workers” along with paying off other debts of the company.

Rodríguez also mentioned that he wishes to inspect the current situation of the company and the prevailing group of Venezuelan people who are still posted at the Alunasa territories in the city of Esparza.

Last year in the month of November, Alunasa had discarded 200 positions at the Costa Rica facility. The company very clearly blames the United States for curtailing raw materials, which leads to the disruption of usual working activities. On the other hand, the USA has alleged that Alunasa might have been a front for money laundering in Venezuela, giving rise to many controversies.