Toyota Tells Venezuela Staff to Work From Home After U.S. Military Raid
In the early hours of Saturday, Jan. 3, the U.S. military struck multiple Venezuelan military bases. Forces then raided President Nicolás Maduro’s compound, captured him, and transported him to New York for trial.
Operation “Absolute Resolve” left a broad wake of uncertainty. President Donald Trump’s administration framed it as a law-enforcement action. It is charging Maduro with “narcoterrorism.” Delcy Rodriguez, who was Maduro’s vice president and is now acting president, denounced the move as a kidnapping. President Trump has also said of Venezuela’s state-owned oil industry, which sits atop the world’s largest oil reserves, that U.S.-based “oil companies are going to go in and rebuild their system.”
Uncertainty ripples through Venezuela
The uncertainty extends across Venezuela. The country’s Supreme Tribunal of Justice appointed Delcy Rodriguez president. But President Trump said, “We will run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.” Whether military clashes will continue remains unclear.
Toyota has asked its Venezuela-based employees to work from home. The automaker reports it established Toyota de Venezuela in 1981 and began local production shortly after. The company still operates a factory in Cumaná. That plant has assembled models such as the Corolla and Hilux in the past, though production has suffered amid the country’s economic decline.
According to Bloomberg, Toyota vehicle sales in Venezuela will continue uninterrupted. Any vehicle production currently underway will also continue. The work-from-home guidance appears limited to corporate employees.