As the saga of Carlos Ghosn continues, new reports are emerging that Lebanon might not receive IMF support unless Ghosn is handed over to the Japanese authorities.
Nissan’s lawyer in Lebanon Sakher El-Hachem told Arab News, “For Japan to agree, they want the Lebanese authorities to extradite Ghosn, otherwise, they won’t provide Lebanon with financial assistance.”
“Japan is one of the IMF’s major contributors … If Japan vetoes Lebanon then the IMF won’t give Lebanon money except after deporting Ghosn,” he explained.
El-Hachem, Nissan’s legal representative in Lebanon, later denied saying this, which prompted Arab News to share the recording that proved he did in fact make this claim.
If that is the case, Japan is intending to go to great lengths to get to Ghosn who had escaped house arrest in Tokyo and fled to Beirut in an elaborate escape scheme that took place in December 2019.
The former Nissan chairman is wanted by Japan over charges of financial misconduct. Ghosn, 66, claims he is innocent.
Meanwhile, seven people in Turkey and two people in the United States have been charged for helping Ghosn escape from Japan.
Lebanon has been seeking a multibillion-dollar IMF bailout to avoid bankruptcy and save the failing economy and the country. The economic hardships have torn up its helpless citizens, as too many sink into poverty, and protests for a change have taken to the streets since October 17th of last year.
The long-awaited IMF’s aid has been the people’s only hope. Would Japan really put the fate of a whole country at risk in their eagerness to get one man to their justice?
The question does impose itself.
