File Photo - Simon Zerpa (R) holds a replica of the sword of national hero Simon Bolivar next to Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro (C) during a ceremony in Caracas, Venezuela July 26, 2017. Miraflores Palace/Handout via REUTERS

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela said on Friday it had appointed Simon Zerpa, the finance boss of its state oil company PDVSA, as the OPEC member’s acting economy minister.

It was not immediately clear if Zerpa, who is sanctioned by the United States for alleged corruption, would remain as PDVSA’s chief financial officer.