Trump's announcement about the deal for Venezuelan oil came after Maduro was captured and tensions were high.
The U.S. and Venezuela are having a lot of problems with each other right now, so this statement is timely. The U.S. military raided Venezuela over the weekend and took former leader Nicolás Maduro into custody.
“This Oil will be sold at its Market Price, and that money will be controlled by me... to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States!
This was an unexpected turn of events. He said that the money made from selling this oil would be used to help people in both countries.
Trump Announces Major Oil Transfer from Venezuela Amid High Tensions
Donald Trump, the president of the United States, said on Tuesday that the country will get between 30 million and 50 million barrels of oil from Venezuela at the current market price. This was an unexpected turn of events. He said that the money made from selling this oil would be used to help people in both countries. The U.S. and Venezuela are having a lot of problems with each other right now, so this statement is timely. The U.S. military raided Venezuela over the weekend and took former leader Nicolás Maduro into custody.
The White House is getting ready for a big meeting with the heads of major American energy companies this Friday. They will talk about how business might do well in Venezuela. The Trump administration has been trying harder to get Venezuela to let more U.S. People who know say that people from big companies like ExxonMobil, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips will be there, but they don't want to be named because the talks are private.
The oil transfer that Trump talked about could have big effects on the economy. The value of this shipment could be between $1.7 billion and $2.8 billion, depending on the price of crude oil, which is about $56 per barrel right now.
According to the Energy Information Administration, the U.S. uses about 20 million barrels of oil and other products every day. So, this flow of people from Venezuela would be enough to meet the needs of the whole country for about one and a half to two and a half days.
It doesn't change the supply situation, but it could mean that ties are getting better or that there is a practical economic exchange, both symbolically and financially.
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US Raid Captures Maduro, Sparks Outrage and Casualties
Earlier that day, officials in Caracas, Venezuela, said that the U.S. operation to catch Maduro at midnight and send him to the U.S. to face serious drug charges had a high cost. Official reports say that at least 24 Venezuelan police officers died during the raid.
Delcy Rodríguez, who is currently Venezuela's interim president, didn't hold back when she heard Trump's recent warnings. Trump said just a few days ago that if she didn't meet U.S. standards, especially by changing the country and letting American energy companies in, she could face much worse consequences than Maduro is facing now.
Rodríguez spoke to a group of officials from Venezuela's agricultural and industrial sectors on Tuesday and sent a strong message. She said, "God, not those who threaten me, controls my fate." She said that threats from other countries don't control her fate. The Venezuelan government is very against outside forces, as this kind of talk shows.
Venezuela's Attorney General, Tarek William Saab, called the event a "war crime" and said he would look into the murders. He said that "dozens" of police and civilians were killed in total, but he didn't say if this number only included Venezuelans or if it also included people from other countries.
The raid's deaths spread beyond Venezuela's borders. Venezuela's close friend Cuba had already said that 32 of its military and police officers who were in the country died during the operation. These people worked for Cuba's Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior. This shows how the fight affected people all over the world.
Pentagon Reports Injuries as Venezuelan Military Posts Tribute
The Pentagon said that seven U.S. soldiers were hurt. A U.S. official who didn't want to be named said that five of the soldiers were well enough to go back to work. The other two are still getting treatment for their injuries, which include gunshots and shrapnel.
They posted a moving video tribute on Instagram that showed the faces of the dead soldiers over sad black-and-white footage of troops in battle, U.S. jets flying over Caracas, and wrecked armored vehicles from the explosions.
The caption said something like, "Their blood does not cry out for revenge, but for justice and strength." It shows that we will not stop until we free our rightful President, completely destroy the terrorist groups that operate from other countries, and make sure that things like this never happen on our land again.
This post shows how determined the military is to fight back against what they see as foreign aggression.
After Maduro was captured, life in Caracas came to a halt, and the streets were empty. But for a little while, things started to get better again. People came together to show their support for the current government at a government-organized event. They waved national flags and danced to patriotic songs that made them feel good. This is a reminder that there are still people who support the leaders, even when things are crazy.
Venezuela's Oil Reserves and Regional Disputes in Focus
The Pentagon said that seven U.S. soldiers were hurt. A U.S. official who didn't want to be named said that five of the soldiers were well enough to go back to work. The other two are still getting treatment for their injuries, which include gunshots and shrapnel.
They posted a moving video tribute on Instagram that showed the faces of the dead soldiers over sad black-and-white footage of troops in battle, U.S. jets flying over Caracas, and wrecked armored vehicles from the explosions.
The caption said something like, "Their blood does not cry out for revenge, but for justice and strength." It shows that we will not stop until we free our rightful President, completely destroy the terrorist groups that operate from other countries, and make sure that things like this never happen on our land again.
This post shows how determined the military is to fight back against what they see as foreign aggression.
After Maduro was captured, life in Caracas came to a halt, and the streets were empty. But for a little while, things started to get better again. People came together to show their support for the current government at a government-organized event. They waved national flags and danced to patriotic songs that made them feel good. This is a reminder that there are still people who support the leaders, even when things are crazy.
Trump Defends Action as US Public Opinion Remains Divided
Trump didn't avoid talking to his critics during all of this. He spoke at a Republican retreat in Washington and defended the military action over the weekend against Democrats who were against it. He said that even when Joe Biden was president, people had asked for Maduro's arrest because he was accused of drug trafficking.
The U.S. accused Maduro in 2020 of being involved in drug-related terrorism and a huge cocaine smuggling operation that lasted for decades. In the last few days of the Biden administration last year, the reward for catching Maduro went up after he said he won an election that many people thought was rigged. Trump raised the reward to $50 million in August.
Trump was angry that Democrats weren't acknowledging how well the operation went, especially since both parties agreed that Maduro wasn't the rightful leader of Venezuela. "At some point, they should say, "You did a great job." Thank you. "Congratulations." "Wouldn't that be nice?" he said. He said that if the roles were switched, he would congratulate them, putting the good of the country ahead of party disagreements.
A recent poll by The Washington Post and SSRS, which was done over the weekend by text message, shows that people in the U.S. have different opinions about these events. A lot of Americans still don't know how they feel about Maduro being caught. About four out of ten people agree with sending U.S. troops on the mission, and about the same number do not. Two out of ten people still haven't decided.
When it comes to bigger intervention, the numbers are clearer: 45% of the people who answered don't like the idea of the U.S. taking over Venezuela and putting in a new government. A huge 90% of people agree that the people of Venezuela should pick their own leaders. The meeting at the White House on Friday could be very important in the future.
Benjamin Hayes
Business Journalist
Benjamin Hayes is a seasoned business journalist with a special focus on corporate finance, global markets, and entrepreneurial trends. He has covered major startups, tech investments, and economic shifts in multiple sectors.
