Venezuela president names PDVSA head Tellechea as new oil minister

22/3/2023 12:56

        enezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday named the head of state oil company PDVSA, Pedro Rafael Tellechea, as the new oil minister, a day after his predecessor resigned amid an extensive corruption investigation focused on the company.
        
        Former minister Tareck El Aissami resigned on Monday after the arrest of several government officials and judges in connection with graft investigations.
        Sources with knowledge of the issue said more than 20 lower-level PDVSA officials have also been detained over recent days.
        
        Tellechea has been head of PDVSA since January and ordered an audit into heavy losses suffered last year as tankers left the country without proper payments being made for cargo.
        
        The government has provided scant details of alleged corruption at the company, but the PDVSA arrests are linked to an investigation into the cargoes, a source said on Monday.