In a clear reference to the corruption case uncovered in the country, the president assured that ‘we are not going to give up,’ because ‘we are the moral and ethical force that will build the future of the Bolivarian Homeland.’

Let’s move forward with strength, the head of State wrote on his Twitter account.

On Tuesday, Venezuelan justice began the presentation hearing of 19 people linked to the corruption case known as PDVSA-Cripto and of three judges associated to the scheme.

In a message on Twitter, Attorney General Tarek William Saab informed that the Public Prosecutor’s Office will request for all of them, including a woman, the ‘deprivation of liberty.’

A video attached to the tweet showed the moment when those involved: executives from the state-owned company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), the National Superintendence of Crypto-assets (Sunacrip), judges and business people, arrived at the Coordination of Aeronautical Operations of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (Sebin), where the hearing began before the 2nd Control Judge on corruption and terrorism, Carlos Liendo, who was accompanied by two prosecutors with national jurisdiction, the newspaper Última Noticias reported.

All detainees were charged with appropriation or distraction of public assets, money laundering and association, influence peddling, among other crimes, in addition to the fact that the officials will be charged with treason.

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