Interview: Jose Chaloub

Jose Chalhoub was leader of International Analyses for PDVSA (Petroleos de Venezuela South America) between 2004 and 2016 in its Loss Prevention and Risk Control Unit.  In that position, he travelled to countries where the Venezuelan oil giant was operating PetroCaribe joint ventures. In an interview with CIJN, Chalhoub outlined his concerns that senior management of PDVSA turned a blind eye to corruption.  In his view, the decline of PetroCaribe and PDVSA itself was a product of the political favoritism and nepotism that kept skilled oil experts from crucial management posts. WHAT WAS THE GOAL OF THAT LOSS PREVENTION AND RISK CONTROL UNIT? Basically, fighting against corruption, physical security, risk analysis of facilities, intelligence analysis of facilities, situation room monitoring of operations.  All things dealing with the business continuity of the whole company and internationally. That’s how the operations of this department grew up in support of PetroCaribe.