POLITICS OCTOBER 8, 2019 / 7:58 PM / UPDATED AN HOUR AGO

U.S. senators call for probe of Brazilian meatpacker JBS

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Two U.S. senators called on the U.S. Treasury on Tuesday to open an investigation into the world’s largest meat processing company, Brazil’s JBS S.A. (JBSS3.SA), due to alleged ties with the Venezuelan government of leftist President Nicolas Maduro.

President Donald Trump’s government has imposed sanctions on dozens of top Venezuelan officials as well as state oil company PDVSA in an effort to remove Maduro, whom it accuses of fixing elections last year and abusing human rights in the oil-rich nation.

Senators Marco Rubio and Robert Menendez sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin asking for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to review transactions by JBS, which has bought several American meat companies in recent years, Rubio’s press office said on Twitter.

“This meat-processing conglomerate has engaged in illicit financial activities and has business ties with the Maduro regime,” the Twitter post said.

In a statement, JBS said it had always cooperated “transparently” with U.S. authorities regarding “passed events” in Brazil.

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