Trump says Venezuela to give US 50 million oil barrels

According to Mr Trump, the interim authority in Venezuela, led by Delcy Rodriguez, would be in charge of facilitating this supply.

US President Donald Trump had said Venezuela would give between 30 and 50 million barrels of oil to the US.

Mr Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said the oil will be sold at market value and controlled by the US for the “benefit of the people of Venezuela and the United States.”

“I am pleased to announce that the Interim Authorities in Venezuela will be turning over between 30 and 50 MILLION Barrels of High Quality, Sanctioned Oil, to the United States of America.

“This Oil will be sold at its Market Price, and that money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States!”

According to Mr Trump, the interim authority in Venezuela, led by Delcy Rodriguez, would be responsible for facilitating this supply.

Ms Rodriguez had been vice president until last Saturday, when the US military abducted President Nicholas Maduro from Caracas along with First Lady Cilia Flores.

They were charged in a US court on Monday, over allegations of narco-terrorism, corruption, and drug trafficking, allegations that Mr Maduro has repeatedly denied.

In his recent post on Truth Social, Mr Trump said he has directed the “Energy Secretary Chris Wright to execute the new plan, immediately.”

Mr Trump stated that the petroleum supplied will be taken by storage ships and brought directly to unloading docks in the United States.

Mr Trump had earlier pledged to “take back” Venezuela’s oil reserves and revive the Latin American country’s flailing energy industry.

He had also declared that US oil companies are primed to invest billions of dollars to rebuild Venezuela’s infrastructure and exploit its oil reserves, which he claimed were “stolen” from the US.

Mr Trump, however, did not provide a time frame within which the barrels of oil are expected to be supplied.

Mr Trump and other US officials have repeatedly indicated that the control of Venezuela’s oil and other mineral deposits is a major reason for the US attack on the country. Other reasons given by officials include allegations that Mr Maduro is involved in drug trafficking to the US.