Rodríguez backs opening Venezuela’s oil to US as officials say Washington will control supplies

Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, defended plans to open the country’s oil market to Washington on Wednesday, while US vice-president JD Vance reiterated that the United States would have complete control of Venezuela’s supplies. Rodríguez said America’s attack to remove her predecessor, Nicolás Maduro, put a “stain” on the countries’ relations but added it was “not unusual or irregular” to trade with the US and said Venezuela was “open to energy relations where all parties benefit.” The Trump administration has seized a pair of sanctioned tankers and announced it would manage all sales of future crude production and oversee the sale of the country’s petroleum worldwide, with US energy secretary Chris Wright saying: “We’re going to market the crude coming out of Venezuela.” Vance told Fox News: “We control the energy resources, and we tell the regime, you’re allowed to sell the oil so long as you serve America’s national interest.” The US energy department has said the “only oil transported in and out of Venezuela” will be through approved channels consistent with US law and national security interests.

Trump announced a deal to access up to $2bn worth of Venezuelan crude and said Venezuela would only buy US-made products with profits from any deal, and since the American military’s capture of Nicolás Maduro the president has continued to pledge the US will “run” the country.

Key Topics

World, Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, Donald Trump, Jd Vance, Us Energy Department