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Venezuela arrests 233 for violent crimes during banknote switch

Xinhua, December 22, 2016 Adjust font size:

Venezuela has arrested 233 people in nine states for a variety of violent crimes carried out over the weekend, Attorney General Luisa Ortega Diaz said on Wednesday.

From Friday to Sunday, a total of 424 people were detained on charges of violence, but of those "only 233 remain in custody," Ortega said in a statement.

Another nine are out on bail and one remains under house arrest.

Last week, Venezuela introduced a new banknote to replace the old 100-bolivar bill, sparking a massive drive to exchange the outgoing notes.

The switch was complicated by a failure to deliver all of the bills on time, sparking unrest and violence that left four people dead.

President Nicolas Maduro had originally planned to conduct the switch on Dec. 13-15, but was forced to extend the exchange period until Jan. 2.

Ortega called on "state security forces and citizens to remain calm."

Venezuela has been wracked by an economic crisis with soaring inflation and shortages of food and other commercial goods. Endi