Two of Venezuela's former executives for national oil company PDVSA have been detained in an anti-corruption crackdown, Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab confirmed in a news conference Thursday.
PDVSA's former president, Nelson Mart-nez, and former minister Eulogio Del Pino were detained in the early morning hours Thursday, Saab said, adding that 16 other arrest warrants are out for other officials. For those not in the country, an Interpol alert will be requested.
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"Sixty-five managers of the oil industry have been detained, of whom 16 are senior heads," Saab said via the attorney general's office Twitter account, adding that these actions "strengthen our democracy."
Saad said the "entrepreneurs" are the cause for the current deficit in the country.
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The move comes after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced Sunday that Manuel Quevedo would run PDVSA in an effort to "clean up" the corruption scandals within the oil company.
