Ten people arrested for altering production figures in the Venezuelan state oil company

Venezuela's Attorney General, Tarek Saab, reported today that 10 people were arrested and two more have arrest warrants for the alteration of oil production figures in the state Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), which caused damage to the nation's wealth of more than one billion dollars.

Caracas, Nov 13 (EFE) .- The Venezuelan Attorney General, Tarek Saab, informed today that 10 people were arrested and two more have arrest warrants for the alteration of production figures of crude oil in the state oil company Petróleos de Venezuela (Pdvsa), which caused a patrimonial damage to the nation of more than one billion dollars.

"We are talking about damage to the heritage of 1,156,900,000 dollars for the purposes of crude oil barrels not produced (...) This intentional alteration of oil production figures occurred from 2014, period in which it was caused damage "that affected the industry and the national economy, Saab said at a press conference.

Likewise, it is estimated a payment of royalties from the State" for a crude oil accounted for but that there is no "of 266 million dollars, and an" embezzlement to the PDVSA financial fund to pay without having resources for approximately 21 million dollars. "

The prosecutor detailed that this "make-up" of figures was being carried out in the oil exploration and production processes in Pdvsa Oriente, where "false efficiency and false levels of marketing ".

According to Saab, the purpose of these alterations was" to modify the amount of production audited, obtain a payment for royalties and, in this way, increase the budget assigned ", which he said caused an" embezzlement of the PDVSA financial fund ".

In this sense, the responsibilities fall on managers linked to production and exploration in Pdvsa Oriente, to whom, Saab explained, is charged for the crimes of "breach of the special regime of security zone, self-inflicted fraud (embezzlement of public funds) and association to commit a crime. "

Saab, who was appointed last August as Venezuelan prosecutor by the ruling National Constituent Assembly (ANC), has assured that during his tenure will investigate all the facts of corruption in the country and, in that sense, has opened investigations in PDVSA, among other organizations.