A large fire and explosion occurred at the Petrocedeño crude oil upgrader plant in Anzoátegui state, eastern Venezuela, on November 19, 2025. The incident produced a massive fireball and a thick column of black smoke visible from a distance. Photo: IRNA.
Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)—An explosion and subsequent fire has occurred at the Petrocedeño state oil processing plant in the Jose Antonio Anzoátegui Industrial Zone, reported PDVSA on Thursday. The announcement from the publicly-owned oil company came just hours after local and mainstream media outlets reported on the incident.
The explosion took place in the afternoon of Wednesday, November 19, erupting into flames alongside a concentrated plume of smoke near a distillation tower within the oil upgrading plant. This incident follows a sulfur leak reported earlier in November, spotlighting ongoing challenges in Venezuela’s heavily sanctioned oil sector.
🚨Alert: First Strike!! Explosion at a petrochemical complex in Anzoátegui, Venezuela! Possibly being used to produce or store illegal narcotics! CIA sabotage! pic.twitter.com/kKkHo2OfWR
— US Homeland Security News (@defense_civil25) November 20, 2025
PDVSA reported that workers were evacuated as a precaution and that emergency services were dispatched to the area. The fire was extinguished completely within hours, with no injuries reported and no effects on nearby communities. Firefighters and PDVSA crews isolated systems and shut off fuel lines. An investigation into the cause has been announced, as reports of potential sabotage by the US empire have spread rapidly on social media.
The affected plant is located at the northern tip of the Orinoco Belt, Venezuela’s main oil-producing region, and is key to converting the country’s heavy crude into exportable oils. It was also reported by La Tabla that the facility is crucial for diesel supply in Venezuela’s local market.
“PDVSA emphasizes that there will be no interruption to its industrial production processes,” reads the official statement, “thanks to the established contingency and prevention plans; therefore, it maintains its operations and reaffirms its commitment to industrial safety.”
Fire at PDVSA’s Natural Gas Plant Under Control, Sabotage Not Ruled Out
Context of US aggression
This incident must be looked at within a heightened context of US military escalation. Since last August, the US has launched the largest military deployment in the region since the invasion of Panama. Currently, about 15,000 US troops are stationed near the coast of Venezuela, along with 12 warships, an aircraft carrier, a nuclear submarine, and dozens of fifth-generation aircraft.
US President Donald Trump also recently announced his authorization for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to launch lethal sabotage operations in Venezuela. The operation has been justified as a new “war on drugs” tirade; however, most analysts agree it is a regime change operation against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and the force of Chavismo within the nation.
On social media, messages claiming the incident was the result of a US military strike or CIA sabotage have been gaining traction. So far, Venezuelan authorities have not made statements on these reports.
US sanctions
Petrocedeño is a joint venture initially created by PDVSA in collaboration with European oil corporations TotalEnergies and Equinor. In 2021, the foreign stake was absorbed by PDVSA as a result of US imperial sanctions impacting its operations.
Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff
OT/JRE/AU
