US Gains Leverage Over Venezuela After Oil Deal

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright announced on Sunday that Washington now possesses significant leverage over Venezuela, following a deal reached during the Trump administration that granted the Venezuelan government control of more than 65 billion barrels of oil. Wright emphasized that the United States can influence the sale of Venezuelan oil outside the country, a move that could reshape the dynamics of the region’s energy market.

The agreement, negotiated with the Maduro administration, allows Venezuela to manage its oil exports while the U.S. retains the ability to regulate or restrict those sales through existing sanctions frameworks. By maintaining oversight of external transactions, Washington aims to curb illicit revenue flows that have historically funded the Venezuelan regime’s political and military apparatus. The deal underscores the U.S. strategy of leveraging economic tools to address the country’s ongoing humanitarian and security crises.

In summary, the new arrangement gives the United States a powerful tool to monitor and potentially limit Venezuelan oil exports, reinforcing its broader policy objectives in Latin America. The move is expected to have immediate implications for both Venezuelan oil revenues and the global oil supply chain.