A deal to export as much as two billion dollars of crude oil from Venezuela to the United States has been negotiated between the two countries, reported Reuters. This deal would help Venezuela avoid further reductions in oil output while diverting supply from China. The announcement was made by President Donald Trump on 6th January.
“I am pleased to announce that the interim authorities in Venezuela will be turning over between 30 and 50 million barrels of high-quality, sanctioned oil to the United States of America. This oil will be sold at its market price, and that money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States,” he wrote on Truth Social.
“I have asked Energy Secretary Chris Wright to execute this plan immediately. It will be taken by storage ships and brought directly to unloading docks in the United States,” he added. The statement was also shared by Vice President JD Vance.
— JD Vance (@JDVance) January 6, 2026
The development is a clear indication that the Venezuelan government is complying with Trump’s condition to allow American oil companies to operate there or face further military strikes. He wants current President Delcy Rodriguez to grant private businesses and the United States “total access” to the oil sector of the South American nation.
Trump’s export blockade has been in place since mid-December. It has prevented Venezuela from shipping millions of barrels of oil that are loaded into tankers and placed in storage tanks. The move was a component of mounting pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s administration. He was eventually nabbed by American forces on 3rd January. Leading Venezuelan authorities have accused the United States of attempting to steal the nation’s enormous oil reserves and referred to Maduro’s apprehension as a kidnapping.
According to sources, it might first be necessary to reallocate cargoes that were initially headed for China to supply the trapped crude to the United States. In the past ten years, the Asian nation has been Venezuela’s largest customer, particularly since the US placed sanctions on businesses engaged in oil commerce with Caracas in 2020.
Reuters reported that the recent deal to export oil to the US will also include diverting the supplies bound for China.
US crude prices dropped more than 1.5% following the president’s declaration. The accord is set to boost the amount of Venezuelan oil shipped to the United States. According to a US authorisation, Chevron, PDVSA’s (state-owned oil and gas company of Venezuela) primary joint venture partner, presently oversees the entire oil supply.
The United States has been receiving between 100,000 and 150,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Venezuelan oil from Chevron. It is the sole company that, despite the blockade, has been loading and delivering oil from Venezuela without any problems in recent weeks. Meanwhile, PDVSA is prohibited from doing transactions in US dollars, its bank accounts are frozen and it is cut off from the world financial system.
The US interest is supreme
It goes without saying that oil and strategic interests are the primary motivators behind the forceful implementation of US-style democracy in other countries. The justification for this egregious breach of sovereignty evolves over time from claims of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, an alleged people-led uprising of the Arab Spring, and a purported student revolt against the government’s suppression of democracy in Bangladesh.
The US strategy also transitions from overt military intervention to covert assistance aimed at facilitating regime changes in different parts of the world. Trump who wanted to be hailed as a global peacemaker and even awarded the Nobel Prize for his “efforts” to ease tensions and end conflicts among warring nations, is merely continuing that legacy.
Similar to the falsehoods regarding the mediation of a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, he fabricated the story of Maduro’s connections to Cartel de los Soles, a drug cartel and consistently promoted it to create a foundation for attacking Venezuela. However, his administration later conceded that such ties do not exist, as this organisation is not real.
The statement followed Maduro’s arrest, reminiscent of the absence of WMDs in Iraq after the country was destroyed by the United States. Now, Washington has achieved its aim which is to control the nation’s oil through a “friendly” government. Their objective is met as another bites the dust.
Furthermore, the contrast between Trump’s statements and his deeds serves as a true reflection of American foreign policy, where the primary guideline is the promotion of the national and strategic interests of the US, irrespective of any infringements on global regulations or principles, while simultaneously sermoning others to maintain the world order.
