Washington Takes Control of Venezuelan Oil for Indefinite Period

The Trump administration announces its intention to dictate Venezuela’s decisions and control the marketing of its oil. Between 30 and 50 million barrels would be ceded to the United States, according to the American president.

January 8, 2026 Rudy Vervant

Companies	PDVSA, OPEP
Sector	Pétrole
Theme	Politique & Géopolitique

The American administration officially announced Wednesday its grip on the Venezuelan oil sector following the capture and detention in the United States of President Nicolas Maduro. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated that Washington would continue to “dictate” the decisions of Venezuelan authorities. Energy Secretary Chris Wright specified that the United States would control the marketing of Venezuelan oil “for an indefinite period.”

A Three-Step Plan According to the State Department

Secretary of State Marco Rubio presented the American strategy articulated in three phases. The first aims at stabilizing the country. The second, described as “restoration,” is intended to allow American and Western companies access to the Venezuelan market. The third step would concern a transition period, with no specified timeline. According to Karoline Leavitt, it remains “premature” to discuss organizing elections.

Donald Trump stated on his Truth Social network that Venezuela would hand over to the United States “between 30 and 50 million barrels of oil.” The American president added that this money would be “controlled by me” and that Caracas would only purchase American-made products with these revenues, including agricultural products, medications, and equipment for energy infrastructure.

Massive Reserves but Limited Production

Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven reserves with more than 303 billion barrels, according to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Production remains limited to approximately one million barrels per day, however, after decades of underinvestment in infrastructure. Secretary Wright expressed optimism about the possibility of obtaining “several hundred thousand barrels per day of additional production in the short and medium term.”

The state-owned oil company Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) announced it was negotiating oil sales with the United States. Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Friday with executives from major American oil companies to discuss opportunities in Venezuela.

Pressure on Storage Capacity

American pressure, particularly through repeated seizures of vessels transporting Venezuelan oil, is disrupting the sector. Many shipping companies have restricted their activities in the country. Sources in the oil-producing state of Zulia told AFP that storage capacities were saturated, citing risks of tank overflow.

Interim President Delcy Rodriguez, whom the Wall Street Journal indicates was the Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA) preferred scenario in the event of Nicolas Maduro’s fall, stated that commercial exchange with the United States was “nothing extraordinary.” She nonetheless deplored “a stain” in bilateral relations since the former president’s capture.