Nasar Ramadan Dagga Mujamad, born in Carabobo in 1976 and of Palestinian descent, is the name behind the empire that turned the Daka brand into a synonym for corruption, currency privileges, and graft with the chavismo. With only a few years of legal studies at “Santiago Mariño” and an early career at the “La Linda” store in Morón, Dagga shot to fame when he joined the structure of Cyberlux de Venezuela, an appliance assembly company that soon became a privileged recipient of preferential dollars from Cadivi.
The business was a perfect deal: while the country suffered shortages, between 2004 and 2012, various entities of the Dagga clan received over 647 million dollars at a preferential rate, outpacing giants like Alimentos Polar. Daka de Venezuela alone (later rebranded as Cyberlux) accumulated 407.8 million dollars. Irregularities were evident: products imported at the official dollar rate were then resold at inflated prices of up to 1,000%.
The network operated using a scheme of shell companies: Mundo Daka C.A., DKZL C.A., Cyberlux de Venezuela, Consorcio Lux, CLX, Bullpro Maracay, Importadora Las 3G, among others, created and registered by different members of the Dagga clan. The dance of identities even confused the authorities: they imported through certain companies and resold to Daka with inflated invoices. General Miguel Rodríguez Torres made it clear in 2013: “They are not really a company, but a shell that imports.”
That year, Nicolás Maduro ordered the takeover of the stores in the episode known as the “Dakazo”, broadcast nationwide. The measure devastated much of the private sector but left the Dagga group intact, which survived, expanded operations, and ended up rewarded with new dollar allocations through Sicad and Cencoex. Just months after being labeled as an enemy of the people, Mundo Daka and DKZL received millions in preferential dollars again.
Instead of collapsing, Dagga expanded his business. In 2013, he founded Consorcio Lux C.A., with branches in Panama and the U.S., and opened the first CLX Samsung stores, which now control the distribution of that brand in Venezuela and Panama. He added LG Gad Technology, Xiaomi Venezuela, Aiwa Venezuela, and later the multi-brand chain Multimax, which multiplied in various cities while competitors shut down. Simultaneously, the Dagga group diversified with luxury initiatives like Galerías Avanti in Las Mercedes, a showcase for Gucci, Prada, and Louis Vuitton for the new chavista bourgeoisie, and with sponsorship of entertainment, cinema, and even professional baseball with the Fundación Magallanes.
None of this would be possible without political connections. The Dagga family are partners and allies of Carabobo Governor Rafael Lacava, a key piece in their protection. The relationship with power allowed them to evade investigations for aggravated usury, speculation, and conspiracy to commit crimes, and even emerge strengthened after the Dakazo, when several managers were arrested but none of the real owners faced consequences.
The genealogy is simple: Nasar, Manzur (alias “Falles”), Fauci, and Yaser Dagga Mujamad distribute positions and companies. The corporation, on the other hand, is a maze designed to receive preferential dollars, triangle imports, and launder capitals. From Panama, they control companies like Global Trade Panalux, Venax, GD Midea Air-Conditioning Equipment; from Venezuela, they manage Cyberlux and Frigilux with supposed assembly plants.
Manzur, Yaser y Nasar Dagga
Today, while the majority of Venezuelans can’t afford even a television, Nasar Dagga presents himself as a “visionary” at openings of Multimax or CLX, giving away cell phones to employees and running campaigns with influencers and artists. His true feat was surviving the political storm of the Dakazo and converting it into a springboard to consolidate a monopoly protected by chavismo.
In the showrooms, you see refrigerators and televisions. What is exhibited behind is a business model based on privileges, political protection, and the looting of the nation’s dollars.
Top 20 companies that received Cadivi dollars (Infographic from Últimas Noticias)