Global oil prices fell on Wednesday after the US administration announced an agreement to import up to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan crude into the United States, a move that drew a sharp reaction from China, Venezuela's main historical buyer.
Le président américain Donald Trump He claimed that this agreement would allow Venezuela to refine and sell on the market volumes of oil previously blocked by US sanctions, representing up to $2 billion. He stated that the revenues would be controlled by Washington to ensure they benefit the Venezuelan and American people. However, authorities in Caracas have not officially confirmed the existence of this agreement.
The announcement weighed on crude oil prices, which fell by about 1%, as markets anticipated an increase in global supply. The agreement could initially involve diverting shipments originally destined for China, which has absorbed the bulk of Venezuelan exports in recent years, particularly since the imposition of Western sanctions.
Beijing strongly condemned the American initiative. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning accused Washington of "harassment" and "intimidation," arguing that these actions violated international law and infringed upon Venezuela's sovereignty and the rights of its people. China, along with Russia and several of Caracas's leftist allies, also condemned the recent US operation that led to the capture of the former president. Nicolas Maduro.
Despite Maduro's arrest, the allies of the ruling Socialist Party retain control of the institutions, with the interim president... Delcy Rodriguez at the head of the executive branch. She must balance denouncing what she calls a "kidnapping" with the prospect of limited cooperation with the United States, under explicit pressure from the Trump administration.
Washington appears to be prioritizing, in the short term, the revival of Venezuela's oil sector—which has been declining for years despite possessing the world's largest proven reserves—rather than an immediate political transition. This strategy worries some US allies, who fear the precedent set by the arrest of a foreign head of state and the repeated threats of similar actions elsewhere.
On the Venezuelan opposition side, hopes for a swift return to free elections remain uncertain. Maria Corina Machado, a leading opposition figure, supports the idea of making Venezuela a regional energy hub while asserting that the opposition would win by a wide margin in the event of a fair election. At this stage, however, the country's political future remains closely tied to Washington's energy and geopolitical choices.
