Trump emphasized that the plan had already been forwarded to U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright for immediate implementation. The oil will be collected on tankers and delivered directly to terminals in the U.S., which, according to the president, will open the way for significant financial flows.
The dpa agency points out that we are talking about large sums. In recent months, Trump has repeatedly accused the Venezuelan government of facilitating drug trafficking to America and posing a threat to national security. Venezuelan authorities, in turn, claim that the U.S. seeks to seize the country's natural resources.
Venezuela has the largest known oil reserves in the world. Until 2005, it was the main supplier of oil to the U.S., but after the nationalization carried out in 2007 under then-President Hugo Chávez, the situation changed, and many American companies lost their assets.
After the military operation that took place on January 3, Trump also announced the intention of American companies to invest billions of dollars in the restoration of Venezuela's infrastructure.
Meanwhile, interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez on January 6 denied rumors of external control over the country following Maduro's overthrow in a televised address. "Our country is governed only by the Venezuelan government; no foreign forces have authority over it," she stated.
Additionally, Rodríguez announced a seven-day mourning period for the victims of the American military operation. According to local authorities, 24 Venezuelan soldiers died during the operation, while Cuban authorities reported 32 Cuban nationals who served in Venezuela in security roles were killed.
