Trump Orders Venezuela to Hand Over Billions Worth of Oil to the US

US President Donald Trump has declared that Venezuela will give tens of millions of barrels of oil to the United States.

Trump said 30 to 50 million barrels of high-quality Venezuelan oil would be shipped to US ports, with the revenue – possibly over $2 billion – going under his personal control.

It is not yet clear if Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, has agreed to hand over the oil, how the deal will work, or whether it is legally valid.

If true, this would be the first major sign that Venezuela’s new government is willing to meet the extraordinary demands of the US. Venezuelan authorities have not yet commented.

Last Saturday, US special forces captured President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in Caracas and took them to New York to face trial on drug charges. Since then, Trump has claimed the US will “run” Venezuela, including its oil, which is the largest proven reserves in the world.

Rodriguez, who was Maduro’s vice president and energy minister, has pledged cooperation with the US, amid fears of wider US interventions. But she has also appeared defiant at times, standing with hardliners controlling the military and police.

“The government of Venezuela is in charge in our country, and no-one else,” Rodriguez said Tuesday.

Trump, on the other hand, has claimed that the US is now in charge and promised a new policy of American dominance in the Western Hemisphere.

Former Venezuelan diplomat Alfredo Toro Hardy described Trump’s actions as a US “protectorate” over Venezuela, something not seen in Latin America for over a century.

Trump has tasked Energy Secretary Chris Wright to execute the planned transfer and sale of the oil.

Heavy Casualties: number of Venezuelan and Cuban troops dead

The US operation reportedly left several Venezuelan and Cuban troops dead, including generals and security personnel. Rodriguez declared seven days of mourning and praised the victims as “martyrs” of the US attacks.

He told citizens:“We are a people that does not surrender, we are a people that does not give up.”

Meanwhile, 16 journalists were briefly detained during the operation, highlighting ongoing tensions and a strict security presence in Venezuela.

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado warned that Rodriguez cannot be trusted and described her as a key ally of Russia, China, and Iran, not someone international investors could rely on.

Experts note that Rodriguez faces a tough balancing act: meeting US demands while keeping hardliners in the military, police, and intelligence loyal.

According to Venezuela’s constitution, formal elections must be held within 30 days after Maduro is declared absent, which could happen within six months.