Venezuela’s oil minister has resigned amid a widening corruption probe into state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA).
According to details, Tareck El Aissami resigned as nation’s oil minister after an investigation escalated into corruption claims inside state-oil company Petroleos de Venezuela SA.
On his official twitter handle, El Aissami wrote: “In light of the investigations that have begun about serious occurrences of corruption at PDVSA, I have taken the decision to present my resignation as oil minister, with the intent to support, accompany and totally back this process”.
He further added, “Likewise, as a revolutionary militant, I place myself at the disposal of the leadership of the PSUV to support this crusade that President Nicolas Maduro has undertaken against the anti-values that we are forced to fight, even with our lives”.
Nicolas Maduro accepted the resignation in a televised event. It’s unclear if Aissami remains as the nation’s vice president for the economy.
The country’s president Nicolás Maduro has launched an anti-corruption operation which in recent days has led to arrests of several government officers on graft charges—including two judges, a mayor and three other officials.
Such anti-corruption probes in the country are extremely rare.
Six people have been arrested so far, Public Prosecutor Tarek William Saab stated.
The specific charges in which the detained individuals are involved have not been officially disclosed.
El Aissami, a close ally of Maduro, is one of the most influential leaders in the country’s government.
Venezuela ranked 177th out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s latest corruption perception index.
