BLP announced the opening of a representative office in Venezuela, in response to growing interest from regional and international clients and investors who are evaluating opportunities in the country. The decision expands the firm’s regional platform and strengthens its ability to support clients with local knowledge, international standards, and cross-border execution.
In recent months, BLP has identified a sustained increase in corporate interest in evaluating investment opportunities in Venezuela, particularly in sectors such as energy and hydrocarbons, mining, infrastructure, telecommunications, insurance, banking and finance, and mergers and acquisitions. This interest coexists with considerable regulatory complexity and risk, making sophisticated legal counsel necessary to structure transactions appropriately. The opening of this office directly addresses this demand.
The firm, which has 36 partners and more than 200 lawyers, integrates its new Venezuelan capacity with its presence in Central America and its representative offices in Spain and the United Arab Emirates, allowing its clients to coordinate operations between different jurisdictions under the same standard of service.
The operation in Caracas is scheduled for November 2026
“Our decision to establish a representative office in Venezuela responds to the demand from our clients. We are seeing growing interest from regional and international companies in exploring opportunities in the country, particularly in sectors such as energy, hydrocarbons, mining, infrastructure, telecommunications, insurance, banking and finance, and mergers and acquisitions, among others. It is a market where the opportunity is significant, but so is the complexity, and that is why we believe that sophisticated legal counsel will be key for those who decide to invest. This is a long-term commitment, supported by our regional platform,” said Eduardo Calderón, BLP partner responsible for the new office.
As part of the team, Luis Palacios, director of BLP, will be based in Venezuela and will be one of the firm’s main points of contact in the country. Palacios is a Venezuelan lawyer, a graduate of the Metropolitan University of Venezuela, and has also studied at the University of Costa Rica. He holds a master’s degree in Environmental Law, Natural Resources, and Energy from Lewis & Clark College in the United States and has experience advising multinational and regional companies on environmental, natural resource, energy, and regulatory compliance matters. He is a founding member and treasurer of the Venezuelan-Costa Rican Chamber of Commerce and a member of the International Bar Association.
“Venezuela is undergoing significant regulatory and economic changes in strategic sectors, in an environment where legal certainty and regulatory compliance remain central issues for any investor. Our role is to help clients understand this environment, rigorously assess risks, and structure their investments soundly,” Palacios commented.
The opening in Venezuela reflects the principle that has guided BLP’s expansion over the last decade: to accompany its clients wherever they require it, strengthening its regional platform with a direct presence in the most strategically relevant markets.
