Three senior officials of the governorship of Apure were arrested for being involved in a “very serious case of corruption,” reported the governor of Apure, Eduardo Piñate. These include Laura Mercedes Rodríguez Sterlin (administrator), Jorge Luis Salazar Rangel (treasurer), and Arnoldo Javier Santana Lovera (head of billing and payments), Piñate explained through a video that he posted on his Facebook account.
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“The investigations continue; in the next few hours there should be new arrests,” said the governor.
Piñate said that the case was initiated by concerns that he himself filed with the appropriate agencies, regarding a “very serious case of corruption using the assets of the governorship, which are assets of the Venezuelan people.”
#Dato Administradora de gobernación de Apure, presa por corrupción, fue fiscal del MP en Guárico y directora general del viceministerio de la Suprema Felicidad Social. Es la abogada Laura Mercedes Rodríguez Sterling designada en esa posición en NOV 2018. pic.twitter.com/V9YrUxGube
— LaTablaBlog / Plataforma de Periodismo (@latablablog) August 28, 2022
Piñate was elected governor after running as PSUV candidate in last November’s 2021 regional elections. Previously, he was minister for labor.
Venezuelan investigative news website La Tabla posted that Rodriguez Sterlin previously worked as attorney at the Public Ministry in Guarico state, and before that as vice minister at the Ministry of Well Being in 2018.
For several years, the PSUV has maintained a widespread anti-corruption campaign, which has improved but not eliminated complaints of corruption within municipal posts.
(Últimas Noticias) by Eligio Rojas, with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SL
