BITING THE HAND: Venezuela arrests two Chevron executives amid oil purge.

“Chevron Global Technology Services Company is aware that two of its Venezuelan-based employees have been arrested by local authorities,” Chevron said in a statement.

“We have contacted the local authorities to understand the basis of the detention and to ensure the safety and wellbeing of these employees. Our legal team is evaluating the situation and working towards the timely release of these employees.”

A Chevron spokeswoman declined to provide further details on the case or the status of its operations. The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The executives were arrested after disagreements with their PDVSA counterparts over procurement processes, two of the sources said.

The arrests highlight risks for foreign firms in Venezuela. Some insiders say a fracturing ruling elite is using the purge to wage turf wars or settle scores.

It could also be that the two men are being used as either hostages or scapegoats — both of which are conventional tools of public policy in failing socialist paradises.