Venezuela Arrests Ex-oil Minister El Aissami In Graft Probe

Caracas, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Apr, 2024) Venezuelan authorities announced the arrest Tuesday of influential ex-oil minister Tareck El Aissami, who had resigned from his post last year amid a corruption scandal at state oil company PDVSA.

"We have managed to reveal the direct participation and consequent arrest" of El Aissami, Attorney General Tarek William Saab said, adding that charges would be announced "in the next few hours."

El Aissami, 49, also previously headed PDVSA. He was a close lieutenant to President Nicolas Maduro, serving as his vice president from 2017 to 2018.

He resigned in March 2023 amid a corruption scandal over irregularities in the management of funds from oil operations carried out with crypto assets.

The case also led to the detention of dozens of officials, including top management of the Sunacrip crypto regulator.

Saab displayed photos of El Aissami under arrest, handcuffed while under the escort of two officials.

He also announced the capture of Simon Zerpa, an ex-economy minister, and Samar Lopez, a businessman accused of money laundering.

The new arrests add to some 61 people taken into custody amid the investigation into PDVSA US-based subsidiary Citgo.

Several experts have accused Maduro of using the investigation as an excuse for a "political purge."