Corruption Trial Initiated Against Former PDVSA President
Today, February 9, 2021, at the Venezuelan Tenth Court of Control of the Metropolitan Area of Caracas, the trial began for Eulogio del Pino, Gustavo Malavé, Orlando Chacín, Henry Sánchez, and Adolfo Torres, who face charges of fraudulent embezzlement, obstruction of freedom of trade, damages to the oil industry, criminal association, and non-compliance with the Special Regime of the Nation’s Security Zones, in the oil industry. The PetroZamora company and the Venezuelan State are the plaintiffs, stated a press release from the Supreme Court of Justice.
At the same hearing, citizens Noris Perozo, Oswaldo González, Adolfo Artigas, Hirto Hurtado, Juan Gamboa, Luis Martínez, Hjalmar Granado, Raybeth Azuaje, Héctor Roque, César Valera, Juan Barreto, and Juan Carrillo, admitted their participation in the events under investigation by the Public Ministry. Consequently, a sentence will be imposed.
Tribunal de Caracas ordenó pase a juicio a grupo de ciudadanos
por corrupción en la industria petrolera. https://t.co/QYtaRe82HM pic.twitter.com/Hr1QL0fLy6— TSJ Venezuela (@TSJ_Venezuela) February 9, 2021
The crimes indicated are punishable by the legal system of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
Since 2008, Eulogio del Pino served as Vice President of Exploration and Production with Petróleos de Venezuela, SA (PDVSA). On September 3, 2014 he was appointed as President of PDVSA, and on August 18, 2015 he was appointed as Minister of Petroleum.
On September 4, 2017, he was detained at the PDVSA-Occidente headquarters, along with seven other senior officials of the state oil company, as the result of an investigation into overpricing and sabotage in the purchase of equipment and material in transactions with PetroZamora, and later for alleged connection to a debt refinancing contract for the oil refining company CITGO, based in the United States.
Featured image: File photo.
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SL
