PDVSA Boss Arrested for Sabotaging National Oil Supply

Caracas, March 30th 2017 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuelan authorities have arrested a senior manager at state oil company PDVSA for allegedly causing “irregularities” in the supply of fuel for the domestic market, resulting in widespread gas shortages last week.
PDVSA boss Marco Antonio Malavé (47) was detained last Thursday and subsequently charged with carrying out a “boycott,” as well as conspiring with contractors, confirmed the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP).
According to the body, Malavé was reported by representatives from PDVSA’s Executive Department for Safety, who said that irregularities had emerged in relation to the contract of transport services for the national supply of gasoline.
“After evaluating the existing evidence put forward by representatives of the Public Prosecution, the 41° Magistrates Court for the Metropolitan Area of Caracas (AMC), sentenced Malavé to remand in custody, which he will serve at the General Headquarters of Military Counter-intelligence (Dgcim) in Boleita,” read a statement from the MP.
The former manager’s bank accounts have also been frozen as a preventative measure.
Last week’s shortages led to long queues outside gas stations in at least seven states across the country.