Primazol Clarifies to Petro Regarding Alleged U.S. Attack on Venezuela

Carlos Eduardo Siu, President of Primazol C.A., based in Maracaibo in Venezuela's Zulia state, has issued a firm rebuttal to narratives circulating after a fire at the company's warehouses in the early hours of December 24. These narratives falsely linked the incident to narcotics.

The statement comes in response to remarks by Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who posted on X about an alleged bombardment by the Trump administration. In a video address, Siu clarified that Primazol is an importer and distributor of raw materials for various industries. "We do not manufacture any of our products, and none of our products go directly to retail shelves. All our products must be processed by the country's basic industries," he stated.

He explained that the fire on the morning of the 24th affected a rear section where polyethylene, PET (polyethylene terephthalate), and PVC resins are stored. In the video, while inspecting and showing the fire-damaged area, he indicated the point of origin. "I arrived here, and it was almost under control, but we couldn't... [The fire] was focused on the back of the rack, which is six pallet positions deep," he said, before showing a second, unaffected warehouse containing products destined for food, beverages, and pharmaceutical and veterinary supplies.

Siu specifies in the video that the fire was caused by an electrical fault and not by a drone attack, as some have attempted to portray.

Petro's assertion on his X account, suggesting a bombardment as the cause of the Primazol incident and echoing false reports, has raised questions about whether it could be a potential strategy by the Colombian leader to have his name and that of his family excluded from sanctions by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

"We categorically reject all the false accusations being made that are tarnishing my name," affirms the President of Primazol, who introduces some of the company's more than 100 employees in the video. "We are a family that has been in the country for over 80 years," he emphasizes, adding, "Finally, President Petro, here we neither package nor manufacture any type of narcotics. We need you to stop tarnishing our name and our honor, which has taken us so many years to build, from my father to myself and my entire team, who have been vilified" in recent days.

Petro's claim disregards reports and data published by the UN and other organizations and agencies confirming that Venezuela is not a drug-producing country, as well as the strong will of the Venezuelan government—demonstrated even in recent days—to combat drug trafficking on national soil with determination and effectiveness.