CHINESE ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing is planning to take on U.S. rival Uber in some of Latin America’s fastest-growing markets, recruiting managers in Chile, Peru and Colombia, according to job postings and a company official.

Didi has moved senior executives from China to lead its expansion in markets like Chile and Peru, and began in recent weeks advertising for driver operations, crisis management, marketing and business development personnel in those countries, an analysis of LinkedIn postings show.

Didi’s widening expansion, if successful, could make for a bumpier ride for San Francisco-based Uber Technologies Inc. in Latin America, one of its fastest growth regions, as it gets ready to go public as soon as later this year.

The two firms are already battling in Brazil, where Didi bought local startup 99 in January last year, and Mexico, where the Chinese firm lured drivers with higher pay and bonuses for signing up other drivers and passengers.

As a dominant ride-hailing firm in China, Didi is backed by investors including Japan’s SoftBank Group Corp. In 2016, Didi bought Uber’s local Chinese operations following a two-year battle for domination.

The push comes as Didi is laying off staff in China as it grapples with regulatory scrutiny, reportedly significant financial losses and public backlash over the murder of two of its customers, according to sources.

The firm’s new Chile public affairs manager, Felipe Contreras, who was previously Uber’s corporate communications chief in Chile, confirmed reports Didi was looking to hire a senior executive from Chilean cellphone company WOM to lead its engagement with government and public policy operations.

Contreras confirmed the launch plans and said the company’s aim was to be a “market leader” in Chile based on “quality,” in a market where Uber, Spain’s Cabify and Greece’s Beat already transport thousands of passengers a day.(SD-Agencies)