Venezuela’s top prosecutor has announced the arrest of a former oil minister and accused him of working with the U.S. government to undermine the industry that drives the country’s economy.

Venezuelan authorities have arrested former industry and oil minister Pedro Tellechea, Attorney General Tarek Saab said on Monday, the latest high-profile detention connected to management of Venezuela's sanctioned oil industry.

Venezuela detained former Oil Minister Pedro Tellechea over the weekend as part of an internal purge at the state oil company after President Nicolás Maduro’s disputed reelection.

Venezuela on Monday announced the arrest of a former oil minister accused of links to a firm controlled by US intelligence services -- the latest scandal to shake the crisis-hit country's energy sector.

CARACAS (Reuters) -Businessman Alex Saab, a close ally of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro who was freed in a prisoner exchange with the United States last year, has been named as industry minister, Maduro said on Friday in a social media post.