Venezuela president threatens to jail managers of Kraft Heinz subsidiary

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro is threatening to jail managers of the local subsidiary for Kraft Heinz, accusing them of possible economic sabotage.

Maduro said late Tuesday that the company was purposefully trying to sow discontent by paralyzing production lines. He said the country's intelligence police would not hesitate to arrest executives.

The South American country has been grappling with severe shortages for years.

Maduro's ruling socialist party faces its stiffest electoral challenge in more than a decade on Sunday. The socialists are expected to lose control of the National Assembly.

Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chavez made it a habit to single out foreign corporations for criticism, including McDonald's, Clorox Co. and Hilton Worldwide.

Alimentos Heinz is a subsidiary of Kraft Heinz Company, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Northfield. It declined to comment.