Venezuela's National Assembly (AP)

Venezuela's National Assembly in Caracas passed a bill on Thursday that allows the government to seize assets that are linked to corruption cases, Reuters reported on Friday.

The government is currently conducting investigations across public companies, including state-owned oil firm PDVSA, over suspected corruption files.

The law permits the authorities to take hold of the assets and sell them to fund public services, including infrastructure and social programs.

It is a "very important law in the fight against corruption ... so that impunity is not the currency of common use," President of National Assembly Jorge Rodriguez said following the approval of the bill.

The anti-corruption police issued a communique on March 17 calling for the prosecution of officials who "could be involved in serious acts of corruption and embezzlement." This sparked the start of the crackdown.

Venezuela's prosecutor's office has arrested 61 individuals since last month, including government officials and private investors, for corruption in PDVSA and public steel, iron, and aluminum companies, in addition to state cardboard manufacturer.

According to judicial sources, Maldonado, a former director of the Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV), participated in a corruption scheme that was headed by former lawmaker Hugbel Roa, AFP reported earlier this month.