Hugo Chavez: “I'm sorry I was general manager of Petroperu”

On March 20, the then manager of Petroperú, Hugo Chavez, resigned from his post and Fernando de la Torre was appointed. Four days later, on March 25, the former manager admitted in an interview with RPP Noticias that he was “sorry” that he assumed the position he held, because his reputation was affected by having been involved in rumors and controversies.

“I am sorry that I was general manager of Petroperú, because I am a person of reputation and I have been involved in gossip, in pasquines,” Chavez said.

Likewise, Chávez said that the state-owned company is entrenched in “a 30-year-old corruption”, referring to the scandals of the oil institution. In addition, he criticized the management of the former Minister of Energy and Mines, Iván Merino, whom he described as “illiterate”. He was of the opinion that he did not qualify for any position in the public sector because he “does not have a profession”.

“Is Ivan Merino going to be understood from what? He is a man that I would call illiterate, he has no profession; that man does not qualify for any public sector. To be a specialist or worker you have to have a profession. Ivan Merino does not register any, he does not even register any bachelor's degree, and they made him a minister. I don't have to see that issue, why (Pedro Castillo) names illiterate people,” he said of former minister Merino.

As for his possible links with lobbyist Karelim López, he assured that he did not know her or have seen her personally. Thus, he said that he did not meet with her on any occasion, nor with businessman Samir Abudayeh. He also stated that he would never have allowed any irregular or out-of-norm negotiation in Petroperú.

Chávez said that “Petroperú cannot finance issues that are not committed in the budget.” “I don't know her, I've never seen her. She wants to be an effective collaborator in the Sarratea, MTC and Petroperú cases. She says she went to Petroperú three times and never spoke to me. What is the need to save me”, he added.

On the other hand, about the former Secretary of the Presidential Office, Bruno Pacheco, Chávez that he would have had some decision-making power in the Government. He also ruled out having any meetings or communication with him and pointed to him as a “man not understood”.

FERNANDO DE LA TORRE NAMED IN HIS REPLACEMENT

On March 21, the company Petroperú indicated that Fernando de la Torre Tejada was appointed general manager in charge of the company. This was reported in a statement that the appointment was agreed today in the Board of Directors of the company.

Profile of the new general manager of Petroperú

Fernando De la Torre holds a degree in Administration from the Universidad del Pacífico, with a Master of Business Administration (MBA), a specialist in international banking, knowledge in liability restructuring and business reengineering.

He also has extensive experience in the areas of finance, banking and risk management; and held the position of Corporate Finance Manager of Petroleos del Peru Petroperú S.A.

QUESTIONING CHAVEZ AREVALO

Chavez Arevalo's management has been widely questioned since it became known that he had visited the Government Palace to meet with the president, Pedro Castillo, and that the record of visits showed that businessman Samir Abudaye - who had won a tender with Petroperu and lobbyist Karelim López, would also have been at that Executive headquarters at the same time.

Hugo Chávez denied having talked to the president about favoring any particular company with tenders. “We talked [with the president] about a project that we are ready to launch that will serve to lower the price of the domestic gas ball. It is a commission from Petrobalón,” he said, then.

However, the tax thesis notes that on October 18, 2021, Karelim López, Samir Abudayeh and Petroperu officials met to win the Abudayeh company in a diesel fuel bidding process.