The Venezuelan state oil company is still facing difficulties in restoring essential administrative systems after what it classified as a cyber attack that occurred over the weekend.
The Petróleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA) network, which manages export and import data at the country’s main crude oil terminal, in José, remained offline on Monday, following the invasion recorded early on Saturday. The outage delayed scheduled shipments and forced contingency measures across the company, according to three people familiar with the situation.
PDVSA told its employees to turn off computers, disconnect external equipment and cut Wi-Fi and Starlink connections, according to these sources, who cited an internal memo seen by Bloomberg. Security at the company’s facilities has also been reinforced since Sunday.
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In a statement released on Monday, the company stated that it had neutralized a “sabotage attempt” with the aim of interrupting its operations. He also added that oil production was not affected. A PDVSA spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions.
President Nicolás Maduro has frequently accused the United States of orchestrating cyberattacks and other forms of sabotage. He also blamed a hacker attack that, according to him, originated in Macedonia, for the delay in counting last year’s presidential election.
In October, President Donald Trump claimed to have authorized the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to carry out covert actions in Venezuela to curb drug shipments and illegal migration to the US. Since early September, the United States has targeted nearly two dozen vessels in the southern Caribbean, claiming they were transporting narcotics bound for the country.
These operations have increased tensions with the Maduro government and fueled speculation that Washington may be preparing for broader military action in Venezuela. Last week, the US seized a sanctioned oil tanker carrying a cargo of Venezuelan oil.
Years of limited maintenance have further weakened PDVSA’s administrative networks, making them more vulnerable to intrusions, according to the sources. The company also lost licenses for key software after US sanctions banned negotiations with American technology suppliers. While PDVSA has experienced attacks on its websites before, none have lasted as long as the current outage, one of the people said.
The internal document instructed employees not to restart or use any devices without authorization, warning that the company has not yet ruled out the possibility of information being compromised.
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