Trump: Venezuela to Deliver 30 to 50 Million Barrels of Oil to the U.S.

Donald Trump, the President of the United States, announced that Venezuela is set to deliver between 30 to 50 million barrels of oil for sale at market price to the U.S.; an action he claims will benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States. The U.S. President made these remarks on Tuesday in a post on the social media platform 'Truth Social,' just days after U.S. forces conducted a large operation in Caracas to arrest Nicolás Maduro, the former leader of Venezuela, on drug trafficking charges. Trump wrote in his post: 'I am pleased to announce that the interim officials in Venezuela will deliver between 30 to 50 million barrels of high-quality, sanctioned oil to the United States. This oil will be sold at market price, and the proceeds will be under my control as President of the United States to ensure they are used for the benefit of the people of Venezuela and the United States.' He added, 'This oil will be transported by storage ships and brought directly to unloading docks in the United States.' Trump instructed Chris Wright, the U.S. Secretary of Energy, to implement the plan 'immediately.' Wright responded to Trump's message, saying, 'It is in progress, Mr. President. This matter has my full attention.' Venezuela is estimated to hold the largest oil reserves in the world. Following these developments, Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro's deputy, has sworn in as the interim leader of Venezuela. U.S. officials have stated they want Venezuela to 'move in a clear direction' and take actions to combat further drug trafficking, prevent the country from becoming a safe haven for U.S. enemies, and stop using the oil industry to enrich hostile actors. In an interview on Monday with NBC News, Trump said the U.S. might subsidize American oil companies' efforts to rebuild Venezuela's energy infrastructure and predicted that the project could be completed in less than 18 months. He added, 'I think we can do it in a shorter time than that, but it will cost a lot. A huge amount must be spent, and the oil companies will pay for it, and then they will be reimbursed by us or from the revenues.' Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, announced this week that the blockade to enforce the sanctions imposed on Venezuela remains in place. Rubio said in an interview with ABC News, 'If a sanctioned ship heads to Venezuela, whether on the way in or out, it will be seized based on a court order we have from U.S. judges. We will continue to enforce sanctions until changes occur.' Trump also stated that if the Venezuelan government does not cooperate, the U.S. is prepared to take further actions against the country.