State-owned company Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) stated it had been hit by a cyberattack targeting its administrative systems. In a statement issued by the company, the attack is said to have originated from abroad and aimed to disrupt internal operations, without affecting operational zones.
Production and export activities remain intact
PDVSA clarified that the continuity of its activities, both for domestic market supply and export commitments, had been preserved through the implementation of secure protocols. According to the company, the attack was neutralised before it could reach production infrastructure. No further technical details were released regarding the nature or precise origin of the incident.
In the current context of political and military tensions between Caracas and Washington, the attack follows the seizure of a tanker carrying Venezuelan crude by United States armed forces. The Venezuelan government views this event as an escalation aimed at weakening its national oil industry.
Increased vigilance across the oil sector
Venezuelan Vice-President and Minister of Hydrocarbons Delcy Rodriguez urged oil industry workers to step up security measures for both physical infrastructure and digital systems. This message, shared then removed from the Telegram messaging platform, warned against acts of sabotage or digital warfare.
Since 2025, United States sanctions on Venezuelan oil have been tightened, restricting the country’s access to international markets. Caracas has thus been forced to sell much of its production at reduced prices through unconventional channels, mainly to Asian countries.
A tense geopolitical environment
The deployment of a United States military presence in the Caribbean since August has been presented by Washington as part of an anti-drug operation. However, Venezuelan authorities claim it is a form of interference aimed at destabilising President Nicolas Maduro’s government and seizing national energy resources.
The United States justified the recent seizure of the oil tanker by stating that it had violated sanctions by transporting crude oil on behalf of entities linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. PDVSA has not issued an official response regarding this specific allegation.
