International
Prosecutor’s Office reveals details of corruption scheme in Venezuela
March 27 |
Venezuela’s Attorney General, Tarek William Saab, confirmed on Saturday that the corruption scheme in Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) involved the National Superintendence of Crypto-assets (Sunacrip) and implied “parallel operations” with crude oil cargoes in ships, without “any type” of administrative control or guarantees, “failing to comply with the contracting regulations”.
“Once the legally assigned crude was commercialized, the corresponding payments to PDVSA were not made, that is where we are seeing the patrimonial damage, the party that makes a negotiation outside the law does not comply with the payments, we are clearly seeing the criminal modality that they used”, he said.
Saab also informed that it was determined that the network used a conglomerate of mercantile companies to legitimize the capital obtained from the sales, through the acquisition of crypto-assets, movable and immovable goods, investments in the construction and real estate sector and demonstrating a “lifestyle that does not correspond to any public official”.
The prosecutor added that young people were recruited to be included in the money laundering network and that they were rewarded “with a lavish, illegal and criminal lifestyle”.
The detainees will be charged with appropriation of public assets, influence peddling, money laundering and association. The public officials will also be charged with the crime of treason.
In a press conference this Saturday, through the State channel, a video was released showing some of the arrests, warehouses where machines used for bitcoin mining were located and operations for the seizure of assets, including airplanes, buildings and fleets of vehicles.
“The assets of these subjects obtained in an illicit manner are already under safekeeping, it is an important recovery”, he insisted.
The prosecutor avoided specifying specific figures on the patrimonial damage, arguing that they are in an “investigation phase”.
Saab specified that ten officials and eleven businessmen were arrested for the corruption scheme.
The officials are: Antonio José Pérez Suárez, vice-president of Commerce and Supply of PDVSA and whom he pointed out as “main boss” of the corruption structure; Joselit Ramírez Camacho, now former superintendent of Sunacrip, who appears in a list of the US Department of Homeland Security of wanted for “money laundering and evasion of sanctions”.
In addition, the now former congressman Hugbel Roa, who, according to the prosecutor, used his position as congressman of the National Assembly to manage the assignment of crude oil loading contracts to operators who then did not pay, and who he described as “one of the most brazen of the criminal gang”.
José Agustín Ramos, Yamil Alejandro Martínez, Oduardo José Bordones, Heinrich Chapellín Biundo and Jesús Enrique Salazar, officials of PDVSA’s vice-presidency of Commerce and Supply, with responsibility for the operations of contracting, trading, loading and transportation of crude oil abroad, detailed the prosecutor.
Rajiv Alberto Mosqueda and Reny Gerardo Barrientos, both officials of the Intendencia de Minería Digital, were also arrested.
The businessmen are Manuel Meneces, who was identified as a financial operator and advisor to the head of the structure; Roger Martínez, “coordinator of financial operations and liaison between public officials and associated businessmen”; Rafael Perdomo and Roger Perdomo, “brothers who acted as associated businessmen and national financial operators to legitimize criminals”.
In addition, Daniel Prieto, “associated businessman and financial operator at national and international level who was arrested in the Dominican Republic at the request of the Venezuelan State.
He also mentioned Cristopher Barrios, Joana Torres, Alejandro Arroyo, Bernando Arosio, Fernando Bermudez and Leonardo Torres.
“All of them linked to this corruption network, with the same modality, laundering money, legitimizing capitals, they were assigned millionaire contracts that they almost never fulfilled, even since Hugbel Roa was Minister of Food”, specified Saab.
Saab announced that arrest warrants were released for eleven more persons: Juan Manuel Afonso and Manuel Ramón Afonso, “brothers as associated businessmen and international financial operators to legitimize illegally obtained capitals”; William Ribas, Ximena Parada, Eduardo Noriega, José Luis Ferrandiz, Olvanis Gaspari, Railyn Elizabeth Yépez, Rodolfo Moleiro, Alejandro Londoño and Yurabic Ravelo, regarding the latter he did not specify how they are involved.
“Several of these ladies who appear as captors to legitimize capital for these subjects appear to be linked,” he added.
The prosecutor made special mention to Pedro Hernández, mayor of the Santos Michelena municipality in Aragua state in the center of the country, arrested for his links with “El Conejo”, one of the most wanted criminals in Venezuela and who was killed this week, as confirmed on Friday by the Minister of the Interior, Remigio Ceballo.
“This mayor financed and supported with State resources parties, public events and logistic material of criminal groups, among them this guy’s (…) the maximum penalty will be applied to this group of people”, he assured.
Regarding the mayor, Saab accused him of having direct links with the criminal Héctor Guerrero, alias “el niño Guerrero”, who leads “terrorist cells at international level” in countries such as Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Chile.
The mayor was charged with the crimes of aggravated extortion, terrorism, obstruction of the freedom of commerce, aggravated criminal association, money laundering and treason.
The prosecutor reiterated that attorney Cristóbal Cornieles Perret, president of the Criminal Judicial Circuit of Caracas and José Mascimino Márquez, fourth judge of Control with competence in cases related to terrorism crimes, were arrested for having dropped charges and granted a substitutive measure to Cheremo Carrasquel, a man prosecuted as a member of the Ten del Llano, an organized crime group.
He also confirmed that, in Falcón State, attorney Bracho Gómez was arrested for having agreed to deliver motor vehicles that were subject to a precautionary seizure measure.
Regarding members of the former interim government, Saab reminded that they have opened approximately 22 investigations for crimes of usurpation of functions, capital legitimization, terrorism, corruption and treason, among others.
“We have achieved 288 arrest warrants, 129 people have been arrested and charged, here there has been no impunity against this sector called interim government, there are 13 people with extradition request, 63 people have been sentenced and 137 raids and 149 seizures have been made. There is an important result”, he stated.
According to Saab, since August 2017 the MP has investigated 31 plots linked to the fight against corruption, particularly to the oil industry, which has left 194 people prosecuted and tried and 75 convicted.
International
Wildfires in France Burn Nearly Three Times More Land Than in 2025, Interior Minister Says
More than 50,000 hectares of land have been destroyed by wildfires across France since the beginning of the year, nearly three times the area affected during the same period in 2025, French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said Friday in an interview with AFP.
Emergency crews are currently battling several major fires, including one near the popular Cap Ferret peninsula, where flames have already consumed more than 10,000 hectares, making it the largest wildfire of the season so far, according to the minister.
“Currently, we have 32 fires underway, which obviously do not all have the same level of importance,” Nuñez said.
“We have exceeded the threshold of 50,000 hectares burned since January 1 of this year. It is practically three times more than during the same period last year,” he added.
Despite the extensive resources deployed and the long hours worked by emergency teams — estimated to be two and a half times higher than last year — Nuñez said authorities remain “calm” and “determined” to contain the situation.
The minister acknowledged that the main concern is the fatigue affecting firefighters and emergency personnel who have been working under demanding conditions.
“The concern, if there has to be one, obviously lies in the state of exhaustion of the men and women who are committed. We have to hold on throughout the entire season,” Nuñez said.
France’s late spring and early summer have been marked by repeated periods of extreme heat, conditions linked by scientists to climate change and considered a major factor contributing to the increase in wildfire activity across the country.
International
Israel Says Saudi Recognition Would Mark ‘Historic Breakthrough’ for Middle East Peace
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Saudi Arabia’s recognition of Israel would represent a “historic breakthrough” toward achieving peace in the Middle East.
The statement came after the United States and Saudi Arabia announced an agreement on Wednesday to establish a civil nuclear program in the kingdom. U.S. President Donald Trump said the initiative would be linked to Riyadh’s decision to normalize diplomatic relations with Israel.
“Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords would represent a historic breakthrough toward peace in the Middle East,” Netanyahu’s office said following Trump’s announcement.
The statement added that recent developments, including joint military actions by the United States and Israel against Iran, as well as Israel’s efforts against what it described as Iran’s “terror axis,” have created new opportunities to expand regional diplomatic ties.
“The joint U.S.-Israeli military action against the genocidal regime in Tehran and Israel’s defeat of Iran’s terror axis have created the possibility of expanding the circle of peace,” the statement said.
A potential normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia would represent a major diplomatic shift in the region, as Riyadh has long been viewed as one of the key countries whose formal recognition could significantly reshape Middle Eastern relations.
International
Nicolás Maduro’s Son Calls U.S. Trial Against His Father and Cilia Flores “Unjust”
Venezuelan lawmaker Nicolás Maduro Guerra on Wednesday described as “unjust” the legal proceedings in the United States against his father, ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, following their capture in Caracas on January 3 by U.S. forces.
“Faced with the unjust trial taking place today, the people raised their voices with a single demand: We demand the immediate release of President Nicolás Maduro and the First Lady,” Maduro Guerra wrote on his Instagram account.
The lawmaker attended a rally in Caracas where supporters of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV)gathered to show support for the former president, who faces charges in the United States including conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism and cocaine importation. Flores is accused of crimes related to drug trafficking and weapons possession.
The event was also attended by PSUV Vice President for Mobilizations and Events Nahum Fernández and Caracas Mayor Carmen Meléndez, according to photos shared by Maduro’s son.
The third hearing in the case against Maduro and Flores concluded Wednesday at a federal court in New York after lasting only about 18 minutes. During the hearing, the judge preliminarily set June 2027 as the expected start date for the trial.
One of the main arguments from the defense will focus on immunity. Maduro’s lead attorney, Barry Pollack, who has also represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, said the defense plans to request immunity for both defendants, arguing that Maduro was serving as head of state and Flores as first lady at the time of their detention.
Both Maduro and Flores pleaded not guilty during their first court appearance in New York on January 5.
Meanwhile, Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed power after Maduro’s capture, has not yet commented on Wednesday’s hearing in the United States.
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