Venezuela arrests 2 Chevron workers amid corruption purge

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Chevron Corp. says two of its Venezuela-based employees have been arrested by local authorities in what appears to be the first such detentions of a private oil company’s workers amid a growing anti-corruption purge.

It’s not clear what led to the arrests. A statement Tuesday from the company gives no details except to say the employees were taken into custody Monday. Chevron says it contacted authorities to understand the reasons behind the detention and ensure its employees’ well-being.

Venezuelan officials did not comment.

Authorities in the South American nation have arrested dozens of Venezuelan officials or employees of state-run giant PDVSA in a bid to root out corruption in the OPEC nation’s oil industry.

Chevron is the largest of a handful of U.S. oil companies still operating in Venezuela.