Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab. Photo: Miguel Gutiérrez/EFE.
The attorney general of Venezuela, Tarek William Saab, reported that with the progress of the second phase of the investigations into the PDVSA-crypto corruption plot, 12 people have been arrested thus far in 2024, raising the total number to 66.
During an interview with the Globovisión television station, Saab highlighted that the second phase of the investigation will be more impactful than the first. During the second phase, which began in April, former ministers Tareck El Aissami, Simón Zerpa, and businessman Samark López have been arrested.
“This second phase is as shocking or more so than the first because the political conspiracy is being X-rayed,” Saab stated in an interview on the Situational Analysis program.
The head of the Public Ministry (MP) said that last year they made 54 arrests, and so far in 2024, there have been 12. He added that the number of those arrested could increase.
La reciente declaración de Tarek William Saab, Fiscal General de la República destapa una preocupante trama de corrupción. Al denunciar acciones que amenazan con "liquidar la moneda venezolana y disparar el dólar paralelo," Saab subraya la gravedad de la situación. Con 54… pic.twitter.com/7WAXUEO1SB
— Análisis Situacional (@ASituacional) April 28, 2024
Saab explained that those involved in this plot intended to overthrow the Venezuelan government through a conspiracy.
In this regard, he explained that these details were obtained after the confession of some of the detainees. The subjects wanted to achieve their goal through the digital financial system and street violence.
Saab added that five witnesses helped to reveal out the connections between El Aissami, Simón Zerpa, and Samark López, who wanted to “liquidate the Venezuelan currency, shoot up the black-market dollar, loot the nation’s coffers, and leave absolutely nothing.
Furthermore, Saab condemned how this group was going to perpetrate these actions while Venezuela suffers under 923 unilateral coercive measures illegally imposed by the government of the United States.
Tarek William Saab highlighted that the Public Ministry, under his leadership, has to date uncovered 31 plots. 315 people have been prosecuted in these plots, and 75 have been convicted.
Rafael Ramírez devised the entire corruption plan
Finally, Saab revealed that the former minister of petroleum and former president of PDVSA, Rafael Ramírez, was the head of the corruption plot and political conspiracy.
“Rafael Ramírez was the one who came up with it,” said Saab. “They even had a prostitution network where they used young people to launder money.”
(RedRadioVE) by Ana Perdigón with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SL
