ALBAWABA- A massive explosion and fire tore through Venezuela’s Petrocedeno oil upgrader in Anzoátegui state, sending thick clouds of smoke over the facility and forcing emergency evacuations.
The blast erupted near a key distillation tower. Officials have released no casualty figures, and state oil company PDVSA has not clarified the extent of the damage or disruptions to output. The plant is critical to Venezuela’s economy, processing heavy crude for export.
Local media footage showed flames engulfing storage areas as firefighters battled the blaze well into the night. The incident comes just days after a deadly gas explosion at the Muscar complex on November 13 that killed eight workers and cut fuel supplies by 60%.
The disaster unfolds against a backdrop of rising tensions between Washington and Caracas under President Trump’s second term. Since August, the U.S. has authorized military strikes on Latin American drug cartels near Venezuelan waters and deployed an unprecedented naval presence in the Caribbean, moves Venezuelan officials call “psychological warfare” aimed at pressuring President Nicolás Maduro.
Relations further soured after Maduro’s disputed July reelection, with Trump alleging fraud and hinting at possible intervention.
Venezuela has reportedly sought Russian support for missile and radar systems, even as quiet negotiations continue over potential oil-for-sanctions relief deals.
