CARACAS – Mireya Blavia de Cisneros, widow of Venezuelan billionaire Oswaldo Cisneros, is facing an inheritance dispute with her three stepdaughters, alongside a criminal complaint and allegations from government sources concerning taxes and family business interests.
The dispute involves an estate linked to telecommunications operator Digitel, oil, real estate and other businesses. It centres on Oswaldo’s testamentary arrangements, the inheritance rights of his nine children and control of family assets.
Government sources have alleged unpaid personal and corporate taxes, unmet investment commitments and irregularities in businesses associated with the family. They have also alleged that Mireya maintained ties with former president Nicolás Maduro and continued lobbying on his behalf.
These claims have not been independently corroborated.
A legal source representing Mireya disputed aspects of the government’s allegations while acknowledging underinvestment and unfulfilled commitments. The source attributed some of those difficulties to US sanctions affecting Venezuela’s financial system.
Inheritance dispute
Oswaldo died in Miami on November 8, 2020. He had three daughters from his first marriage, Claudia Susana, Maritza Blanca and María Ella Cisneros Fontanals. He and Mireya also adopted six children from Romania and Colombia.
His closed will, registered in Venezuela in December 2017, named Mireya and all nine children as his “sole and universal heirs”.
The daughters’ lawyers have questioned the arrangements, alleging that the six adopted children’s collective voting strength gave Mireya greater influence over family trusts and businesses.
Government sources have separately alleged irregularities in the adoptions, claiming they formed part of an arrangement to secure majority voting control. The court rulings described in the available material do not establish those allegations.
Court ruling overturned
Claudia brought the principal challenge to the adopted children’s participation in the succession proceedings.
On May 12, 2021, she argued that their foreign adoption judgments had not undergone exequátur, the procedure through which certain foreign judgments receive formal recognition in Venezuela.
The Supreme Tribunal’s Social Cassation Chamber accepted the argument on August 3, 2021, ruling that the six children lacked standing in the relevant succession proceedings and ordering related proceedings archived.
Mireya sought constitutional review. On January 31, 2022, the Constitutional Chamber annulled that judgment, finding that qualifying international adoptions governed by the Hague Convention did not require additional exequátur.
The ruling defeated the attempt to exclude the six children on that ground, but did not resolve every issue in the inheritance dispute.
Tax allegations
Government sources say Venezuelan tax authorities valued the estate at more than $10 billion and calculated a potential inheritance-tax liability exceeding $3bn.
One official claimed there was no record of payment and said authorities were examining inheritance and succession-tax obligations.
The valuation, potential liability and payment status have not been independently verified.
Criminal complaint
Separately, a Caracas court admitted a criminal complaint filed by Claudia against Mireya in July 2021, alleging private violence, extortion and association to commit crimes.
Claudia alleged threats and coercion intended to compel her to perform or tolerate acts she was not legally required to accept, and conduct intended to secure a financial advantage or cause her financial loss.
The admission of the complaint did not constitute a finding of guilt. The available material does not establish its final outcome.
A legal representative for Mireya said she would continue to contest the challenges brought by Claudia.
