21 arrests at Venezuela’s state oil company

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Ten officials were among the suspects, Attorney General Tarek William Saab said in Caracas on Saturday. The arrests began last week and are continuing. Saab said he expects about a dozen arrests.

The suspects are charged with “appropriation or misappropriation of public goods, unlawful influence, money laundering, formation of a criminal organization and treason”. Those arrested include PDVSA deputy leader António José Pérez Suarez and former MP Hugbel Roa. Since some of the defendants were close staff of Petroleum Minister Tareck El Aissami, the hitherto highly influential politician resigned from his position.

The accused officials allegedly stowed away oil at their own expense by loading it onto ships without any official control. The public prosecutor does not want to say what amount they have embezzled. The Venezuelan press speaks of three billion dollars (2.79 billion euros), the member of parliament Hermann Escarra, who belongs to the government camp, even spoke of 23 billion dollars.

According to the prosecutor’s office, the eleven arrested, who were not civil servants, are business people. One of them was caught trying to escape to the Dominican Republic.

Since 2017, there have been repeated investigations into the oil industry in socialist Venezuela. In total, nearly 200 employees and two oil ministers were arrested.

(AFP)

Source: Blick