President Donald Trump has declared a historic energy agreement with Venezuela that will allow the U.S. to trade between 30 and 50 million barrels of oil under American control following the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has announced an unprecedented energy agreement between the United States and Venezuela that will allow the immediate trading of 30 to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil in the global market, under U.S. financial and operational control.
This measure, confirmed by the Department of Energy, comes just days after the capture of the Venezuelan leader, who has been formally charged in U.S. federal courts with narcoterrorism conspiracy and other serious crimes.
A Strategic Shift in U.S.–Venezuela Relations
According to the official statement, the agreement aims to restore energy security in the Western Hemisphere, curb illicit oil markets, and lay the groundwork for Venezuela’s economic reconstruction after over two decades of institutional collapse, corruption, and mismanagement.
The plan stipulates that all Venezuelan crude oil exported will be traded exclusively through channels authorized by the U.S., with funds initially deposited in accounts controlled by the U.S. financial system to ensure transparency and traceability.
Financial Control and Revenue Distribution
According to the Department of Energy, the funds obtained from oil sales will be used for the benefit of both the American and Venezuelan people, based on criteria defined by the U.S. government. The program starts immediately and has no set end date.
The Secretary of Energy coordinated the implementation of the agreement alongside interim Venezuelan authorities and private actors from the international energy sector.
Selective Lifting of Sanctions and Oil Modernization
As part of this framework, Washington announced a selective lifting of sanctions to enable the transport, refining, and sale of Venezuelan crude. The entry of U.S. diluents necessary to process the extra-heavy oil from the Orinoco Belt will also be authorized.
Furthermore, the U.S. will permit the importation of oil equipment, spare parts, and specialized services to reverse decades of falling production and reactivate currently idle wells.
Electrical Infrastructure: The Critical Link
The agreement acknowledges that the Venezuelan electrical grid is in a critical state, with a decline of over 30% in national generation due to disinvestment, corruption, and structural failures. Washington will work on stabilizing the electrical system as a prerequisite to increase oil production and improve the quality of life for the population.
Regional Message
This move consolidates a radical shift in U.S. policy towards Venezuela and sends a direct signal to the rest of the hemisphere: Venezuelan oil will no longer finance criminal structures, and will instead be integrated into the global market under Western supervision.
For the White House, this agreement not only strengthens U.S. energy security but also dismantles one of the main financing mechanisms for transnational crime in Latin America.