CARACAS: Authorities in Venezuela have taken 9 officials from state-owned Corporacion Venezolana de Guayana (CVG) metals conglomerate into custody during corruption investigations, attorney general Tarek Saab said on Sunday. Those arrested included officials from the steel-maker subsidiary Sidor.
On Friday, prosecutors started to investigate irregularities at CVG and Sidor, adding to probes into alleged corruption at the state oil company PDVSA and a state agency overseeing cryptocurrency-based transactions. Both were led by Tareck El Aissami who later resigned as oil minister.
Nestor Astudillo and Pedro Maldonado, the presidents of Sidor and CVG respectively, are under arrest, as well as 4 company vice presidents and 3 managers, Saab stated on Twitter.
Arrests made as part of corruption probe
President Nicolas Maduro’s government on March 31 appointed an oversight board in CVG, as per the South American country’s official gazette, that was read on state television.
As many as 42 people have been arrested as part of corruption investigations, Saab tweeted, without elaborating.
Last week 21 people, who included officials, businessmen and a National Assembly member, were charged relating to losses suffered by PDVSA when tankers left the country with cargoes that had not been paid in full, the authorities stated.
