WILLEMSTAD – A new ruling has been issued this week in the ongoing legal disputes between the Socorro group and the Doran group, which have resulted in several judgments in favor of Raul Socorro and his associates. These rulings included the annulment of the decision made by Erchenel Doran to remove the Socorro group from their roles as directors of CPR Holding, a move that gave Doran control of CPR.
The latest ruling concerns a lawsuit filed by Socorro and his group against Panamanian company Knob Trading. This company had been contracted by CPR (Caribbean Petroleum Refinery) for oil storage at the Bullenbaai terminal. CPR, a foreign group selected under the political leadership of Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas (MFK) and the state-owned company Refineria di Kòrsou (RdK), was chosen as the preferred candidate for the operation of the Isla refinery and, in advance, to use Bullenbaai. However, the situation quickly deteriorated, including revelations by local media of forged documents concerning CPR’s financial capabilities. These disclosures led to criminal complaints and the eventual termination of the contract.
Behind the scenes, an internal struggle had also erupted among the original CPR partners. Strange occurrences followed, including the mysterious transfer of oil onto a tanker during the Carnival weekend last year. The tanker, which drifted offshore for several days, was then sent to an unknown destination. Lawyer Bertie Braam, representing Socorro, highlighted these unusual circumstances in his statement.
"CPR, at that time controlled by the Doran group, did not prevent the transfer. The Socorro group was forced to take action through an emergency solution – a transfer of CPR shares to Socap Corporation, a CPR shareholder. Eventually, the Socorro group regained control of CPR," Braam explained.
The lawsuit brought by Socorro's group against Knob Trading in Curaçao was based on unpaid fees amounting to 25 million guilders under a contract with CPR. In response, Knob filed a counterclaim of 2.5 million dollars, arguing that payments made to Socap were unwarranted.
Knob also raised the issue of jurisdiction, claiming that, since the case involved foreign companies, the Curaçao court was not authorized to handle the matter. However, the court rejected all of Knob’s arguments, allowing the case to proceed.
This latest ruling marks another chapter in the ongoing legal battles over CPR’s management and financial dealings, continuing to shape the future of the company and its relationships with key stakeholders.