Venezuela Denounces Corruption Scheme in PDVSA

Venezuela's Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Tareck El Aissami, denounced on Tuesday what he called a corruption scheme in the state-owned Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) during 2012-2013 that would have implicated the then head, Rafael Ramírez, a fugitive from justice.

RELATED:
New Colombian Ambassador Arrives in Venezuela After 3 Years

During a televised speech, El Aissami showed documents that would prove what he called fraud in charge of Ramírez when, in addition to being the head of the Energy portfolio, he was also the head of Pdvsa.

El Aissami said it was one of the most severe corruption schemes that "compromised the patrimony of Pdvsa" in charge of the "mafia led by Rafael Ramírez." The official explained a scheme that would have involved diverting a multi-million dollar amount to tax heavens abroad.

Likewise, he said they had filed a complaint before the Attorney General, Tareck William Saab, to advance the corresponding criminal actions.

LAST MINUTE: "Tareck El Aissami" requested before the Public Ministry an arrest warrant with an international alert against Rafael Ramírez for cases of corruption in PDVSA

In this sense, he said he would further ask the Attorney General's Office to order the international capture of the ringleaders of this corruption scheme and held Rafael Ramírez and Leopoldo Betancourt López mainly responsible.

El Aissami explained that "this robbery operation was carried out in the last year of life of our Commander (Hugo) Chávez. While President Chávez was debating between life and death, Rafael Ramírez was looting," he said.