COLOMBIA – Alleged interference by Colombian President Gustavo Petro in majority state-owned Ecopetrol and purges of hundreds of staff to make way for pro-government replacements are fueling fears about the energy company’s future profits and contributions to the economy. The worries, according to interviews with workers, ex-employees, a former board member and analysts, come ahead of a March deadline for Ecopetrol (ECO.CN), opens new tab to renew – or end – its joint oil venture with Occidental Petroleum (OXY.N), opens new tab in Texas. (Reuters)

Photo: Oil pumpjacks are pictured in an Ecopetrol oil field in Barrancabermeja, Colombia.