Former Venezuelan oil minister Tareck El Aissami, once a powerful figure in the country’s government, has been arrested on charges of money laundering, criminal association, and treason. The arrest comes as part of an investigation into a corruption scheme that allegedly siphoned hundreds of millions of dollars from state coffers.
El Aissami, who resigned unexpectedly last year, is set to appear in court for the first time on Tuesday. The arrest follows the recent detention of several other senior officials in President Nicolás Maduro’s socialist government.
The former oil minister’s arrest was announced by the Ministry of Communications, which released images of El Aissami being handcuffed and escorted by officers. Attorney General Tarek William Saab stated that El Aissami’s arrest was the result of a lengthy investigation into the alleged corruption scheme.
Saab linked El Aissami to a scheme involving the sale of Venezuelan oil through the country’s cryptocurrency oversight agency, bypassing the state-run oil company. The former minister’s resignation last year came just days before a crackdown on corruption within the government, raising suspicions about his involvement in illicit activities.
Corruption has long been a pervasive issue in Venezuela, a country rich in oil reserves but plagued by economic turmoil and political instability. The arrest of El Aissami, a once-prominent figure in the government, highlights the ongoing challenges facing the country as it grapples with widespread corruption and mismanagement.
