Venezuela president names PDVSA head Tellechea as new oil minister

A sculpture depicting an oil tower on a hand of Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA is pictured near the company's headquarters, in Caracas, Venezuela March 20, 2023. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria

CARACAS (Reuters) -Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday named the head of state oil company PDVSA, Pedro Rafael Tellechea, as the new oil minister, a day after his predecessor resigned amid an extensive corruption investigation focused on the company.

Former minister Tareck El Aissami resigned on Monday after the arrest of several government officials and judges in connection with graft investigations.