US President Donald Trump said Venezuela’s interim authorities will hand over 30–50 million barrels of “sanctioned oil” to the United States.
The proceeds will be controlled by Washington and used for the benefit of both countries.
Maduro and his wife pleaded not guilty and remained defiant in court
US President Donald Trump said Tuesday night that Venezuela will turn over 30 million to 50 million barrels of oil to the United States, to be sold at market value and with the proceeds controlled by the US.
Interim authorities in Venezuela will turn over “sanctioned oil” Trump said on Truth Social. The US will use the proceeds “to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States!” he wrote.
The President added that Energy Secretary Chris Wright has been directed to “execute this plan, immediately,” and the barrels “will be taken by storage ships, and brought directly to unloading docks in the United States.”
Meanwhile, an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council was convened where the US allies criticised the raid that captured Venezuela’s leader Nicolás Maduro.
The meeting objected to the military operation that landed the Maduro before a federal judge on Monday in the US. The U.N. secretary general, António Guterres, said the Trump administration had violated the U.N. charter with the nighttime raid in Caracas that used roughly 200 members of the U.S. military’s special forces to take President Nicolás Maduro and his wife into custody, and several council members described the raid as a violation of international law.
Representatives from Russia and China demanded the couple’s release.
Maduro and his wife pleaded not guilty and appeared defiant in their initial court appearance, with the deposed leader claiming he is "still president of my country."
In Venezuela, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has since been named interim leader, who initially denounced the US raids and demanded proof of life. She referred to the US government as “extremists” and insisted that Maduro remained Venezuela’s rightful leader.
However, later Rodríguez tempered her tone. She has now extended an invitation to the US government to work together on a cooperation agenda.
In a post on Instagram, Delcy Rodriguez wrote, “A message from Venezuela to the world, and to the United States: Venezuela reaffirms its commitment to peace and peaceful coexistence.”
She added, “Our country aspires to live without external threats, in an environment of respect and international cooperation. We believe that global peace is built by first guaranteeing peace within each nation.”
(with inputs from The New York Times)
