Venezuela: Opposition Mayor Arrested on Corruption Charges Amid Public Office Reform Efforts

Caracas, October 6, 2024 (venezuelanalysis.com) –  Venezuela’s Attorney General’s Office has announced the arrest of Rafael Ramírez Colina, the opposition mayor of Maracaibo (western Zulia state), on corruption charges.

Ramírez was arrested on Tuesday night in his office by the Bolivarian Intelligence Service (SEBIN), along with Betty Ramos, the general director of the mayor’s office, and David Barroso, the director of citizen security.

In a communique issued on Wednesday, the attorney general reported that Ramírez and his aides “will appear in court to face charges for significant irregularities” following investigations conducted in collaboration with the National Anti-Corruption Police. An arraignment hearing is expected in the coming days.

The statement expressed that these actions were part of “ongoing efforts by Venezuelan state institutions to clean up public administration in defense of the nation’s interests.” 

So far this year, seven mayors have been arrested on corruption charges. Two have since been released but remain under investigation. More mayors have reported outstanding arrest warrants.

Ramírez Colina is a member of the Primero Justicia (PJ) political party, which issued a statement demanding his “immediate release” alleging “political persecution.” 

“In respect to the will of the people of Maracaibo and Ramírez’s work in the city, we demand his immediate release,” the document read. Another member of Ramírez’s team, Pedro Guanipa, was arrested on September 26 while crossing the border to Colombia.

The 49-year-old Ramírez was elected in the November 2021 municipal contest. His arrest followed a legal complaint filed by Maracaibo Municipal Council member Jessy Gascón, citing 15 irregularities within the mayor’s office, including discrepancies in the fiscal reports for the 2022-2023 period.

Gascón, a councilor from the Socialist Party (PSUV), also accused Ramírez of embezzling funds during the “Maracaibo Half Marathon 2024.” Although the event counted with financial support from approximately 35 sponsors, significant amounts were reportedly charged to the Municipal Institute of Sports and Recreation (Imdeprec). 

Additionally, Ramírez has been accused of manipulating the Patria electronic system, through which the Maduro government delivers social benefits and bonuses, and inflating payrolls to issue unauthorized payments to officers from various opposition parties.

Furthermore, the Maracaibo mayor faces allegations of entering into arrangements with the United Nations (UN) and foreign oil companies Chevron and Repsol for rehabilitating and opening sports and medical centers without obtaining approval from the municipal council. 

He is likewise under investigation for acquiring waste collection trucks from a Brazilian company that does not have the legal permits to operate in Venezuela.

On Wednesday, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello accused right and far-right opposition parties of misusing tax revenues collected in Maracaibo to fund their activities. 

Cabello said that public officials nationwide had been warned about an ongoing audit process, during which authorities have uncovered “overwhelming” evidence of corruption.

“Wherever they go (the opposition), they steal in a shameless and vulgar manner; it is a network of accomplices who treat these mayoral offices as their petty cash,” the minister stated during his weekly television program. He further warned that confessions from detainees are implicating additional anti-government figures in various corruption schemes.

In 2023, the Venezuelan government launched a wide anti-corruption operation aimed at reforming public administration, particularly within state oil company PDVSA. The probe followed a judicial reform initiated in 2021 to reduce prison overcrowding and expedite the administration of justice.

The most notable arrest to date has been that of former Oil Minister Tareck El Aissami, who was charged in April with treason, misappropriation of public funds, influence trafficking and money laundering. 

The former Socialist Party (PSUV) official was accused of leading a corruption network that siphoned billions of dollars from public coffers. Judicial authorities have not offered updates on the cases of El Aissami and high-profile associates.

Edited by Ricardo Vaz.