Basejumper.com - archive

High profile sponsored professional BASE jumpers are involved. That makes it as base related as many of the things discussed here.

The article clearly want to punish Red Bull for being close to a political figure (or the relatives of) which makes it clear to me that this is a politically motivated article.

the operation and the owner were obscure at best.

The operation is Skydive Caribbean and the owners are the dubious pair who siphoned off money from the Venezuelan people. It's all there in the article my friend.

Good thing the skydive industry in the US never had anything to do with drug importation. All the big airplanes pre tandem industry were paid for how?
Having been out of the scene for a long time I was surprised when Dubai became a thing, still surprised skydivers go there considering the penalties for normal skydiver type behaviors. And the past may not justify condoning things in the present.

Would be curious to know more of that history.

Good thing the skydive industry in the US never had anything to do with drug importation.

As Venezuela's crisis deepens, President Nicolas Maduro's stepsons spent last week skydiving with top international athletes.
The family's indulgence -- first mentioned by the nonprofit Human Rights Foundation -- comes at a time when Venezuelans suffer through food and medical shortages and the country is going through a major political upheaval with protests springing up across the nation. Over 30 protesters have died.

The Human Rights Foundation says the family's actions contradict the president's message of a government empowered by working class Venezuelans.

"This situation perfectly illustrates the hypocrisy of Venezuela's socialist regime," says Javier El-Hage, chief legal officer of the Human Rights Foundation.

The athletes, along with their sponsor Red Bull, also found themselves in the center of a maelstrom. They were the subject of sharp backlash on social media this week after Human Rights Foundation lambasted them for skydiving with Maduro's stepsons.

Red Bull said it played no role in the event whatsoever. It did confirm to CNNMoney that the trip took place.

"Red Bull did not finance these athletes in Venezuela or have any involvement in this event," a Red Bull spokesperson told CNNMoney in a statement.

Red Bull said the athletes "were simply following the invitation of an old friend at SkyDive Caribbean," referring to the Venezuelan company that organized the event and invited the athletes.

The athletes -- Amy Chmelecki, Mike Swanson, Jon DeVore and Noah Bahnson -- didn't respond to requests for comment. They skydived with Maduro's three stepsons in Venezuela for four days last week, according to a person with knowledge of the skydives who requested anonymity for fear of retribution from the Maduro family.

Red Bull said the athletes personally paid for their entire trip and received no compensation or reimbursement from anyone. The skydivers were not aware who they would be jumping with until they arrived in Venezuela.

SkyDive Caribbean had initially agreed to pay each Red Bull athlete $350 a day, along with free food, accommodation and transportation, according to the source in Venezuela.

But once Human Rights Foundation published its article on Saturday, the athletes refused to accept any compensation and quickly left Venezuela. The athletes still got the free food, accommodation and transportation while in Venezuela, according to the source.

Maduro's stepsons -- Yosser Gavidia Flores, Walter Gavidia Flores and Yoswal Gavidia Flores -- were to pay SkyDive Caribbean for the world class instructors, according to the source.

SkyDive Caribbean charges $20 per jump. That's equal to half the monthly minimum wage in Venezuela, currently valued at $39. The source said Maduro's stepsons skydive two to three times a month.
Venezuelan government officials did not respond to a request for comment.