The United States has reportedly demanded that Venezuela cut economic ties with Russia, China, Iran and Cuba as a condition for expanding its oil production, according to a report by ABC News citing three sources familiar with the White House’s plans.
The demand comes amid extraordinary developments in Caracas, where Venezuelan authorities say US commandos abducted President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, during a night-time operation over the weekend. The Venezuelan government has described the raid as a serious violation of national sovereignty and an act of armed aggression.
According to the ABC report, Washington is seeking an exclusive partnership with Venezuela in the oil sector, insisting that the South American nation prioritise US companies in both production and crude oil sales. US President Donald Trump has long argued that American firms were unfairly shut out of Venezuela’s oil industry following nationalisation policies introduced under former president Hugo Chávez.
On Tuesday, Trump claimed that what he referred to as Venezuela’s “interim authorities” would hand over between 30 and 50 million barrels of sanctioned oil, which would then be sold under US supervision. The statement has further inflamed tensions, particularly in Caracas, where officials have rejected any suggestion of foreign control over the country’s energy resources.
Delcy Rodríguez, a close ally of Maduro who was sworn in as acting president earlier this week, stated unequivocally that neither the United States nor any other foreign power would dictate Venezuela’s political or economic direction. Venezuelan authorities have formally demanded the release of Maduro and Flores, who pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking and weapons charges during their initial court appearance in New York.
Venezuela’s Prosecutor General, Tarek Saab, condemned the operation in stark terms, arguing that it was carried out without a declaration of war or authorisation from the United Nations Security Council. He described the incident as an illegal military action with what he called “terrorist characteristics”, language that underscores how seriously Caracas views the episode.
International reaction has been swift. Addressing the UN Security Council, Russia’s ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, described the detention of Maduro as a “cynical crime” that could not be justified under international law. China echoed those concerns, with envoy Sun Lei warning that US military involvement in Venezuela threatens regional peace and stability.
As global powers trade accusations, the situation highlights the deep geopolitical fault lines surrounding Venezuela’s vast oil reserves. While Washington frames its demands as part of a political transition, Caracas and its allies see them as economic coercion backed by force. For ordinary Venezuelans, already facing years of economic hardship, the dispute risks prolonging uncertainty in a country where oil has long been both a blessing and a battleground.
