Venezuela

Wed, Sept 2, 2026:

• How the US Is Taking Direct Control of Venezuelan Oil - Bloomberg

Tues, Sept 1, 2026:

• North American Blue Energy Partners will take over some oilfields previously controlled by several Chinese companies and a Russian firm. The takeover will be part ‌of a sweeping oil production agreement that President Donald Trump announced with Venezuela. - Reuters

• Can Donald Trump’s 65bn-barrel deal revive Venezuela’s oil industry?

  Analysts warn agreement may not succeed in attracting investment from US groups and could destabilize country’s interim president - FT

Sun, Aug 30, 2026

• Venezuela vowed not to ‘hand over’ its oil. Trump aims to grab a windfall.

  The deal cements the United States’ long-term dominance over Venezuela, which has become a neo-colony since the U.S. military’s capture of then-President Nicolás Maduro in January. - WP

• Trump Says Venezuelan Oil Will Refill U.S. Stockpiles, but It’s Not So Simple

  New projects can take years to produce meaningful amounts of oil, and that’s especially true in Venezuela, where infrastructure is in disrepair. - NYT

• Alejandro Betancourt: the man who would be Trump’s ‘viceroy’ in Venezuela

  US has turned to wily and divisive insider to help it develop the country’s oil reserves - FT

Sat, Aug 29, 2026:

• America has laid claim to a fifth of Venezuela’s oil. The deal could give both countries reason to forestall a democratic transition. - Economist

Fri, Aug 28, 2026:

• Trump says he has secured a vast U.S. stake in Venezuelan oil industry

  The plan involves the United States taking more direct control over Venezuelan reserves as crime and steep logistical challenges discourage private investors. - WP

Thurs, Aug 27, 2026:

• A Venezuelan oilman faced a Swiss arrest warrant. The U.S. had other plans for him. The Trump administration intervened in a Swiss criminal investigation of Alejandro Betancourt, who is helping the U.S. as an intermediary in Caracas. - WP

Wed, July 22, 2026:

• The US has collected about $13bn of Venezuela’s oil money. Where is it?

  Washington has given diverging accounts of where the earthquake-shattered country’s funds are going. - FT

Fri, Jan 23, 2026:

• China Built a Vast Oil Stake in Venezuela. - WSJ

Thurs, Jan 22, 2026:

• The House barely rejected a Democratic-backed resolution that would have prevented President Donald Trump from sending U.S. military forces to Venezuela. A tied vote on the legislation fell just short of the majority needed for passage. - AP

Thurs, Jan 15, 2026:

• Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado met President Donald Trump at the White House as part of her push for greater influence after Nicolas Maduro’s ouster. The meeting comes as Trump has so far thrown his support behind acting President Delcy Rodriguez, and has cast doubt on Machado’s ability to run the country, saying he didn’t believe she had “support” or “respect” in Venezuela. - Bloomberg

  • TrillionsWeekly Fact Check on support: In the Unitary Platform opposition primary held on 22 October 2023, Machado received roughly 93% of the votes. Despite Machado’s widespread public support, Donald Trump has allied himself with Maduro’s repressive lieutenant.

Wed, Jan 14, 2026:

• Republicans Block Effort to Check Trump’s Power in Venezuela. G.O.P. leaders succeeded in pressuring fellow senators who initially supported the measure that would have limited President Trump’s military authority in Venezuela.- NYT

• US gets first $500 million Venezuelan oil deal, holding some proceeds in Qatar - Semafor

• U.S. Races to Sell Venezuelan Oil, Transforming Ties With Former Foe. U.S. officials brokered the sale of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Venezuelan oil to stabilize the country’s economy after capturing its president. - NYT

• Senate Republicans derail effort to rebuke Trump on Venezuela - Politico

• Explaining Trump’s Claim That Venezuela ‘Stole’ U.S. Oil - FactCheck.org

• Venezuela war powers resolution fails in Senate as 2 Republicans bow to Trump pressure - AP

Fri, Jan 9, 2026:

• Venezuela Is ‘Uninvestible’ for Now, Exxon CEO Tells Trump in White House Meeting - Politico

Thurs, Jan 8, 2026:

• The Donroe delusion: In Donald Trump’s world, the strong take what they can. That will be bad for America—and everyone else - Economist

• The Senate on Thursday voted to advance legislation that would force President Donald Trump to seek congressional approval before taking any new military action in Venezuela, a stunning rebuke for the White House in the first big test of GOP unity since the U.S. capture of President Nicolás Maduro. GOP Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Todd Young of Indiana and Josh Hawley of Missouri backed the measure to check Trump in a 52-47 vote. - Politico

• Economist Paul Krugman argued that while Venezuela has the world’s largest known oil reserves, it was because heavy oil was reclassified as “proved” oil. He cited economist Torsten Slok, who previously wrote that most of the oil “is extra-heavy, which has low recovery and a high cost to produce.” “This suggests that Venezuela’s claims to have immense usable oil reserves were politically motivated hype,” Krugman continued. - Hill

• Donald Trump asserts control over Venezuela—and all the Americas. But the president’s claim of dominance over the western hemisphere may backfire -Economist

• Fact-Checking Trump’s Justifications for the Venezuela Operation. The president has repeatedly tied Venezuela to drug overdose deaths, claimed the Maduro regime sent an influx of criminal migrants and accused the country of stealing American oil. - NYT

Wed, Jan 7, 2026:

• Trump Team Works Up Sweeping Plan to Control Venezuelan Oil for Years to Come - WSJ

• Trump Says Venezuela to Send Oil Worth Up to $2.8 Billion to US - Bloomberg

• US Seizes Two More Ships as Trump Tightens Venezuela Quarantine -Bloomberg

• Hegseth has heated exchange with reporter over cost of Venezuela mission-Hill

• Democrats are reluctant to embrace their most bare-knuckled tool to prevent President Donald Trump from launching further military operations against Venezuela or other nations. Instead of threatening to hold up or even block government funding bills, Democrats are opting for a vote on a war powers resolution that will be largely symbolic. - Punchbowl

• The success of Trump’s Venezuela intervention won’t be measured in barrels of oil but whether the country emerges as an American ally in a crucial region.- WSJ

Tues, Jan 6, 2026:

• Maduro opponent Machado vows to return to Venezuela, wants an election - Reuters

Mon, Jan 5, 2026:

• Trump revives an old vision of American power, with global implications. Trump’s moves to assert U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere and pull back from Europe could embolden Russia and China. - WP

• World Braces for Impact of Trump’s New Doctrine. The global fallout from America’s toppling of the Venezuelan president will be felt for years. - Bloomberg

Sun, Jan 4, 2026:

• Trump Says U.S. Is ‘In Charge’ of Venezuela, While Rubio Stresses Coercing It. The secretary of state said that a military “quarantine” on some oil exports would stay in place to put pressure on the country’s acting leadership. - NYT

Sat, Jan 3, 2026:

• Congress poised to weigh in on Venezuela campaign - Roll Call

• To Trump, on Venezuela: You Break It, You Own It - NYT / Friedman
  Trump: US will ‘run’ Venezuela after military mission to nab Maduro. White

• House official refers to mission as ‘law enforcement operation’ - Roll Call