Following a three-week U.S. naval quarantine that has halted most of Venezuela’s oil exports, the Trump administration apprehended Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and declared that the United States is now running Venezuela. President Trump said that U.S. oil companies would invest billions of dollars to rejuvenate Venezuela’s dilapidated oil industry, with proceeds used to pay back those investments, reimburse prior American claims, and support the people of Venezuela. This commentary analyzes President Trump’s stated vision for Venezuela’s oil industry, describing the resources and conditions needed to secure U.S. company participation in rehabilitating the sector and associated costs and timelines. A forthcoming paper will address the wider geostrategic effects of Trump’s policies as energy consumers and producers react and adjust to rapidly changing circumstances.
A Credible Path to Political Stability Is Indispensable for Trump’s Venezuela Oil Aspirations
