The Venezuelan Government is allegedly attempting to silence people involved in the case of the USD 800,000 they tried to enter Argentina, said Ed Shohat, defense lawyer of Franklin Durán, in his last write before the Miami Federal Court, as quoted by Buenos Aires newspaper La Nación.

Shohat made reference to a conversation held in a restaurant, Jackson's Steak House, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to demonstrate that his costumer was not a cover agent of Venezuela and that, in any case, Durán was acting under pressure of death threats against he and his family.

These threats, added Shohat, were plausible since they had been made by pro-Chávez officials who wanted to conceal the purpose of the money, reportedly to help fund the presidential campaigning of then candidate Cristina Kirchner, a plan where Venezuela President Hugo Chávez would be "personally" involved.