The business dealings of the daughters of former Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero in Venezuela are facing increased scrutiny. The online video game portal, ‘El Server,’ whose internet service abruptly disappeared following the January 3 detention of Nicolás Maduro, was designed and operated by a web developer based in the Dominican Republic, according to sources close to Venezuela’s National Commission of Telecommunications (CONATEL).
The Venezuelan video game platform, which partnered with the daughters of Zapatero, contracted O.R., a Dominican webmaster, for the development, maintenance, operation, and security of the online platform. This arrangement indicates a strategic division of operations: while the commercial activity was centered in Venezuela, the digital management was executed from the Dominican Republic.
This new information, reported by ABC, adds to the mystery surrounding the daughters’ business ventures. ‘El Server’ went offline after Maduro’s detention, and was registered in Panama, a known tax haven, with a lack of transparency regarding its ownership. The findings suggest the business, linked to the former prime minister’s daughters, has operated across three Ibero-American countries where financial and asset information is not readily shared internationally.
Following the U.S. Military intervention in Caracas on January 3, 2026, reporters contacted O.R. About the platform’s status and his working relationship with the company. After a brief conversation, the webmaster stopped responding and ended the discussion. IT professionals in Latin America have identified O.R. As a well-known figure in the region’s digital infrastructure management, with a operate history that aligns with his stated experience in web management, optimization, and design.
The business venture of Zapatero’s daughters in Venezuela, initially revealed by The Objective in 2025, began after their communication agency, ‘Whathefav,’ was hired by ‘El Server’ to promote esports – professional video game competitions – in the Latin American country. The agency posted a job advertisement for ‘El Server’ seeking content creators to work on the Venezuelan video game platform. The website, which has been down for over 20 days, featured articles and information about video game releases, influencers, and new consoles.
Registered in Panama
The operation of the video game platform from Venezuela while being managed from the Dominican Republic is not the only aspect raising questions. The lack of transparency regarding the fiscal address, registration details, corporate purpose, and the true identities of the owners further contributes to the secrecy surrounding the company allied with Zapatero’s daughters in Venezuela.
A source with access to Panama’s Public Registry confirmed to reporters that ‘El Server’ was registered in the country on April 12, 2023, not in Venezuela, where it operates. The source likewise stated that the company’s physical address is not publicly available and suspects the video game portal conducts its business “remotely,” meaning without a traditional office. This assessment was supported by a person familiar with Venezuela’s Autonomous Service of Registries and Notaries (SAREN), who stated that ‘El Server’ does not have a physical office in Caracas and is not listed in any official Venezuelan records.
Zapatero and Maduro Meeting
The company’s registration date in Panama is close in time to a meeting between Zapatero and Maduro on January 20, 2023, three months prior. During the meeting in Caracas, the former Spanish prime minister and the then-Venezuelan president discussed bringing the Chavista government and the opposition closer together to facilitate elections, which ultimately occurred in July 2024. However, Maduro rejected the results, leading to the arrest of several opposition members and the exile of others to countries like Spain.
Despite the website being offline, the platform remains active on social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Discord, and YouTube. On some of these platforms, ‘El Server’ has up to 20,000 followers and 535,000 likes. Like the website, these profiles were inactive for a week following Maduro’s detention by the U.S. Military. Attempts to contact individuals featured in ‘El Server’s’ social media videos were unsuccessful, as none responded to inquiries about their employment status or the company they work for.
¿No sabes qué jugar con tus panas?
Pues entonces pendiente con este nuevo juego llamado Peak, que te ofrecerá una de las aventuras más emocionantes para pasarte con tus amigos.@Krozth nos comparte todos los detalles de este viaje escalando una imponente montaña. pic.twitter.com/mQryikPU9w
— El Server (@elserver_gg) July 5, 2025
The lack of transparency surrounding the business dealings of Zapatero’s daughters in Venezuela takes on greater significance given the former prime minister’s alleged ties to the perpetuation of the Chavista regime following Maduro’s detention. It also comes as Spain’s Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office and the Economic and Fiscal Crime Unit (UDEF) of the National Police investigate whether consulting work performed by Zapatero for an advisor to the Venezuelan-capitalized airline, Plus Ultra, is connected to the public aid granted to the company during the Covid-19 pandemic.
