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Venezuela investigates former oil minister for corruption

Xinhua,December 13, 2017 Adjust font size:

CARACAS, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan chief prosecutor Tarek William Saab on Tuesday announced that the officials have opened an investigation into former minister of Energy and Petroleum and ex-head of state oil company PDVSA Rafael Ramirez for suspected corruption.

The move comes after officials pored over documents seized from a property belonging to a cousin of his, Diego Salazar, who was arrested on Dec. 1 for suspected money laundering.

Based on "the latest documents ... we have decided to open a criminal investigation ... into Rafael Ramirez," Saab told reporters at a press conference.

In the documents, Salazar "directly incriminates" Ramirez as his partner in buy-sell oil contracts, said Saab.

Last week, Ramirez resigned from his most recent job as Venezuela's ambassador to the United Nations in New York, and returned to Caracas amid the allegations of wrongdoing. Enditem

 

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