Valorie Smith,  Dr. Mosongo Moukwa, Jose Angel Pereira Ruimwyk
The Distinguished Entrepreneur Podcast:
What happens when you go from the pinnacle of corporate leadership to losing total control of your life in seconds In this powerful episode of The Distinguished Entrepreneur Podcast, hosts Dr. Mosongo Moukwa and Valorie Smith sit down with José Pereira, former CEO of Citgo Petroleum.

After spending over 35 years building a distinguished career in the oil and gas industry, José’s life took a dramatic turn during a 2017 business trip to Venezuela. Arrested alongside five executive colleagues as part of the Citgo 6, José spent 1,775 days (nearly five years) held hostage in a dungeon before his unexpected release in October 2022.

In this intimate conversation, José goes beyond the news headlines to share how stripped-away titles, power, and freedom forced him to confront ego, rediscover his faith, and unlock an unbreakable inner strength. He details the daily survival routine inside a 100-square-foot cell, the letters smuggled in trash cans that became his published book, and how he turned trauma into a global mission of leadership, resilience, and purpose.

Visit Jose Connect: https://joseconnect.com

From Citgo CEO to Captivity: José Pereira’s Unbreakable Story

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