New York, Feb 19 (EFE) .- The Moody's agency announced on Tuesday that it has withdrawn its risk rating for the state oil company Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA).

In a statement, Moody's said the decision responds to "business reasons," without giving further details.

The agency, one of the three major risk rating agencies in the world, recalled that at the time of withdrawal, its rating for PDVSA was a C, the lowest score, with a stable outlook.

The Venezuelan oil company has been hit in recent years by a productivity crisis and corruption investigations and is now at the center of the struggle for power in the country.

The sworn in president in charge of Venezuela , Juan Guaidó, has appointed a board to control the company and its subsidiaries after receiving authorization from the Parliament, which has an opposition majority.

That decision has been considered null by the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) and the president of the country, Nicolás Maduro, has warned those managers that they will be brought to justice.

PDVSA's assets include Citgo, its subsidiary in the US, and one of the most valuable assets of the Venezuelan state.

The actions of Guaidó and the Parliament are part of the opposition's offensive to weaken Maduro and force him to abandon power, which he has held since 2013.

The opposition defends that the president "usurps" since January the position of president, when he swore a new term of six years that does not recognize much of the international community.

The Chavez leader won the elections in May last year, to which the majority of the opposition did not appear because they were considered fraudulent and their main parties and leaders were disqualified.

Therefore, opponents say that the new period of Maduro is illegitimate and that the powers of the Executive fall on the head of Parliament, Juan Guaidó, who is recognized as president in charge of more than fifty countries.