Venezuela’s state oil company is still struggling to restore key management systems after what it said was a cyberattack that hit over the weekend.
Petroleos de Venezuela SA’s network, which manages export and import data at the country’s main crude terminal in Jose, remained offline on Monday after a breach earlier in the week. The shutdown has delayed scheduled loading and forced emergency measures at the company, according to three people familiar with the situation.
PDVSA told staff to shut down computers, disconnect external hardware and cut Wi-Fi and StarLink connections, the people said, citing an internal memo seen by Bloomberg. Security has also been beefed up at the company’s facilities since Sunday.
In a statement on Monday, the company said it had neutralized a “sabotage attempt” aimed at disrupting its operations. It added that oil production was not affected. A PDVSA press official did not immediately respond to questions.
President Nicolás Maduro has often accused the United States of cyberattacks and other forms of sabotage. He also blamed a hack he said started in Macedonia for delaying last year’s presidential election.
In October, President Donald Trump said he authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert operations in Venezuela to stop drug trafficking and illegal immigration to the United States. Since early September, the U.S. has seized nearly two dozen boats in the southern Caribbean, saying they were smuggling drugs bound for the United States.
The actions have heightened tensions with Maduro and fueled speculation that Washington is preparing a wider military operation in Venezuela. Last week, the U.S. seized a sanctioned oil tanker carrying a cargo of Venezuelan chemical.
Years of limited maintenance have further eroded PDVSA’s management networks, making them more susceptible to breaches, the people said. The company also lost key software licenses after US sanctions barred it from dealing with US tech providers. Although PDVSA has endured website hacks before, none have been as far-reaching as the current setback, one of the people said.
The internal document instructed officials not to restart or use any devices without instructions, warning that the company had not ruled out the possibility that information had been compromised.
Photo: Petrolos de Venezuela SA building in Caracas, Venezuela. Source: Bloomberg
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