Venezuelan prosecutor’s office charges 23 people for cases of state corruption

The Attorney General of Venezuela, Tarek William Saab, reported that this Tuesday they will charge 23 people who were arrested for being involved in alleged corruption crimes within the state-owned Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), the National Assembly, the justice system and a town hall.

Saab recalled that during his administration, which began in August 2017, they have discovered 31 corruption plots. Now, for the case known as ‘PDVSA-Cripto’, he detailed that nine public officials, a former deputy and ten businessmen will be charged, with a custodial measure. Likewise, three judges will be prosecuted for receiving bribes.

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 Crypto Assets, Joselit de La Trinidad Ramírez Camacho.

There are also oil officials José Agustín Ramos, Yamil Alejandro Martínez, Odoardo José Bordones, Heinrich Chapellín Biundo and Jesús Enrique Salazar. By the Administration of Digital Mining and Associated Processes, Rajiv Alberto Mosqueda and Renny Gerardo Barrientos will be charged.

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 jurisdiction in terrorism cases, José Mascimino Márquez García; and Judge Falcón Yorwis Bracho Gómez.

Last weekend, prosecutor Saab detailed that they have arrested a total of 21 people linked to 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 the state of Aragua. 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-Cripto corruption plot.

Among those detained are: Manuel Meneses, identified as a financial operator and advisor 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, financial operator at the national and international level.

The list is completed by Kristhonfer Barrios, Johanna Torres, Alejandro Arroyo, Bernardo Arosio, Fernando Bermúdez and Leonardo Torres.

This Tuesday, prosecutor Saab commented in a telephone interview with the Colombian media 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

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