RIO DE JANEIRO/HOUSTON: US oil producer Chevron Corp (CVX.N) has permanently assigned its Brazil country chief to run its Venezuelan operations after the months-long detention of two executives escalated tensions between the OPEC-member nation and foreign oil firms.
Javier La Rosa, who had been president of Chevron Brazil since 2016, this month was named president of Chevron Venezuela, the company confirmed on Friday. He replaced the company’s Venezuela general manager, Christopher Whatley.
La Rosa joined Chevron in 2000 and had headed Venezuela operations for the company from 2005 to 2008, his LinkedIn page said. He flew to Caracas shortly after Chevron employees were detained to temporarily lead the Venezuela unit, according to two other people familiar with the matter.
La Rosa’s appointment comes after a tense showdown between foreign oil companies and the government in recent months as Venezuela’s political and economic meltdown deepened.
