Pedro Tellechea
Former PDVSA President and Oil Minister
At a glance
Pedro Tellechea is a former President of PDVSA and Oil Minister of Venezuela — the executive who briefly led the Venezuelan oil sector during the OFAC General License 44 window before being removed in 2024.
Who is Pedro Tellechea?
Pedro Rafael Tellechea Ruiz, an industrial engineer and longtime executive at petrochemical conglomerate Pequiven, was appointed President of PDVSA in January 2023 after the departure of Asdrúbal Chávez and was given the Petroleum Ministry portfolio in March 2023 after Tareck El Aissami's resignation. His tenure coincided with the U.S. Treasury's issuance of OFAC General License 44, which briefly authorized previously-prohibited oil-sector transactions with PDVSA.
Tellechea was removed from both roles in 2024 amid the ongoing PDVSA corruption probe and the expiry of GL 44. His trajectory is the canonical case study for foreign investors tracking how political volatility inside PDVSA's leadership interacts with the U.S. sanctions regime.
Also known as: Pedro Rafael Tellechea Ruiz.
Career timeline
- 2023 — Appointed President of PDVSA (January) and Oil Minister (March)
- 2023 — OFAC issued General License 44 authorizing certain oil-sector transactions
- 2024 — Removed from both PDVSA and the Oil Ministry
Network & connections
The following figures are part of Pedro Tellechea's direct political, cabinet, or institutional network — useful for compliance teams mapping the wider Venezuelan power structure:
Frequently asked questions
▸ Who is Pedro Tellechea?
Sources & further reading
Useful tools and explainers
- Browse all active OFAC Venezuela SDN designations — the live US Treasury tracker for individuals, entities, vessels, and aircraft.
- OFAC Venezuela sanctions checker — paste any name to check it against the active SDN list.
- Sector context for Pedro Tellechea's role — regulatory framework, OFAC pathways, and current deal flow.
- How to invest in Venezuela (2026 sanctions-safe guide)
- Browse all Venezuelan power figures
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