The Attorney General of Venezuela, Tarek William Saab, reported that this Tuesday they will indict 23 people who were arrested for being involved in alleged crimes of corruption within the state-owned Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), the National Assembly, the justice system and a town hall.
Saab recalled that during his tenure, which began in August 2017, they have discovered 31 corruption schemes. Now, for the case known as ‘PDVSA-Cripto’, he explained that nine public officials, a former deputy and ten businessmen will be charged, with a custodial measure. Similarly, for receiving bribes, they will prosecute three judges.
Among those charged in this new case in PDVSA are former deputy Hugbel Roa; the vice president of Commerce and Supply of the oil company, Antonio José Pérez Suárez; the National Superintendent of Cryptoactives, Joselit de La Trinidad Ramírez Camacho.
In addition, there are the oil officials José Agustín Ramos, Yamil Alejandro Martínez, Odoardo José Bordones, Heinrich Chapellín Biundo and Jesús Enrique Salazar. By the Intendancy of Digital Mining and Associated Processes, they will charge Rajiv Alberto Mosqueda and Renny Gerardo Barrientos.
In addition, the three judges who will be prosecuted for receiving bribes are: the former president of the Criminal Judicial Circuit of the Caracas Metropolitan Area, Cristóbal Cornieles Perret; the fourth control judge with competence in terrorism cases, José Mascimino Márquez García; and Judge Falcón Yorwis Bracho Gómez.
Last weekend, prosecutor Saab explained that a total of 21 people have been arrested in connection with these criminal acts related to corruption within state institutions and companies.
11 businessmen and a mayor arrested
On the list of detainees presented by Saab is Pedro José Hernández Inojosa, mayor of the Santos Michelena municipality in Aragua state. According to the prosecutor, the official was allegedly linked to Carlos Enrique Gómez Rodríguez, alias ‘El Conejo’, the most wanted criminal in Venezuela until his death in an operation.
In addition, Saab gave the names of the 11 businessmen captured for being linked to the PDVSA-Crypto corruption scheme.
Among the detainees are: Manuel Meneses, designated as a financial operator and adviser to the head of the criminal structure; Rogers Martínez, coordinator of financial operations and liaison between public officials and associated businessmen; the brothers Rafael Perdomo and Roger Perdomo, who appear as associated businessmen and national financial operators to legitimize capital; and Daniel Prieto, national and international financial operator.
Kristhonfer Barrios, Johanna Torres, Alejandro Arroyo, Bernardo Arosio, Fernando Bermudez and Leonardo Torres complete the list.
This Tuesday, prosecutor Saab commented in a telephone interview with the Colombian media outlet W Radio, that in addition to the 25 detainees, the Venezuelan authorities have issued “approximately a dozen more” arrest warrants against people linked to corruption.
In addition, he said, “many raids are being carried out” against other people who are being investigated and for whom, according to what the investigations determine, new arrest warrants could be issued in the future. However, the Venezuelan prosecutor clarified that “it would be premature” and “reckless” on his part to announce what could happen with these procedures.
One of these people who have been raided is the businessman Álvaro Pulido. with RT
