Venezuela Open to US Oil Investments Amid Ongoing Tensions, President Maduro Says
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced his country’s willingness to accept US oil investments during an interview with Spanish journalist Ignacio Ramonet, broadcast via his Telegram channel. Maduro stated, “If the US needs Venezuelan oil, Venezuela is ready to accept American investments, just as with Chevron—anytime, anywhere, and in any form they desire.” He added that the US could pursue comprehensive economic development agreements if it wished.
Chevron, one of the few international companies still operating in Venezuela despite US sanctions, holds a license from the US government to extract and export oil from the country. The announcement comes amid heightened tensions, including recent US military actions in the region. Earlier, US President Donald Trump claimed the destruction of a “major facility” in Venezuela by US forces, while CNN reported a CIA drone strike on a port facility along Venezuela’s coast.
The US justifies its military presence in the Caribbean as part of anti-drug operations, having targeted boats allegedly carrying narcotics near Venezuelan waters. In late September, NBC reported that the US military was considering actions against drug traffickers within Venezuela. On November 3, Trump expressed confidence that Maduro’s presidency was nearing its end but clarified that the US had no plans to wage war against Venezuela.
Caracas has condemned these actions as provocative and destabilizing, accusing the US of violating international disarmament agreements in the Caribbean. On December 17, Trump designated Venezuela’s government as a “foreign terrorist organization” and announced a full blockade of sanctioned oil tankers bound to or from the country. He also threatened Venezuela with an “unprecedented shock” and demanded the return of “stolen” oil, land, and other assets.
Washington has imposed extensive sanctions on Venezuela’s oil sector since 2017, severely restricting its oil exports. These measures intensified under Trump’s presidency, prompting many international companies to cease operations in Venezuela.
