Maduro appoints Asdrúbal Chávez as president of the subsidiary of PDVSA in the US

The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, today designated Asdrúbal Chávez as the new president of Citgo, the largest subsidiary of state oil company PDVSA in the United States, which has been seen wrapped up in a corruption scandal in recent days.

Caracas, Nov 22 (EFE) .- Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro today appointed Asdrúbal Chávez as the new president of Citgo, the largest subsidiary of state oil company PDVSA in the United States. United, which has been involved in a corruption scandal in recent days.

"I have decided to appoint Asdrúbal Chávez as president of Citgo, who served as Minister of Petroleum until a few months ago, "Maduro said during a political rally in Caracas that was aired on state television channel VTV.

The newly appointed president of Citgo is chemical engineer and cousin of Hugo Chávez, the former president of Venezuela who died in 2013. He was elected deputy of the Venezuelan Parliament in 2015 and before holding the portfolio of Petroleum was vice minister.

Venezuelan authorities arrested yesterday the president of Citgo until that day, José Ángel Pereira Ruimwyk, and five other executives accused of several crimes for alleged corruption in the oil company.

All of them will be prosecuted for the alleged crimes of misappropriation of public funds (own fraud), concert of public official with contractor, money laundering and illicit association, among others.

Maduro said today that Asdrúbal Chávez will restructure, recover and strengthen Citgo, the The main oil refining and marketing company for gasoline, lubricants and petrochemicals that Venezuela has in the United States.