1 day ago
Last Updated:January 07, 2026, 13:13 IST
The Trump administration is pressuring Venezuela to expel China, Russia, Iran, and Cuba and to sell its oil exclusively to the US, a report has claimed.
A file photo of US President Donald Trump (AP)
The Donald Trump administration has set strict conditions for Venezuela’s interim government before it will be permitted to resume oil production, demanding a fundamental reorientation of the South American nation’s foreign and economic partnerships and asserting US leverage over its vast crude reserves, according to ABC News.
The report quoted three people familiar with the plan and said the White House has communicated to Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, that Caracas must expel China, Russia, Iran and Cuba and sever all economic ties with those countries before it will be allowed to ramp up oil output.
First, the country must kick out China, Russia, Iran, and Cuba and sever economic ties, the report quoted sources as saying.
In addition, the US has signalled that Venezuela must agree to partner exclusively with the United States in oil production and give preference to American buyers of its heavy crude oil.
The demands come amid heightened US pressure following a controversial US military operation that resulted in the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
That operation, conducted over the weekend, was confirmed to have resulted in the deaths of at least 24 Venezuelan security officers, with additional casualties among Cuban personnel, according to the Associated Press.
In a private briefing with lawmakers, Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the US position on Venezuela’s oil situation, saying the United States believes it can force Caracas’s compliance because existing Venezuelan oil tankers are already full and the country’s government faces imminent financial insolvency without the sale of its oil reserves.
Rubio’s remarks, as reported by ABC News, underscored the administration’s assessment that Venezuela’s economic leverage is limited.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker told ABC News that controlling Venezuela’s oil is central to the US plan.
“The government does intend to control the oil, taking charge of the ships, the tankers, and none of them are going to go to Havana. And until they start moving, we hope to the open market, there are no more tankers to fill, because they’re totally full," Wicker said.
He also dismissed the notion that US troops would be deployed as part of the strategy.
“This is not a matter of boots on the ground. That is just not part of the plan," he added.
Trump has publicly framed the broader strategy as one that will benefit both the American and Venezuelan people through expanded energy cooperation and economic engagement.
On his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump announced that Venezuela’s interim authorities would deliver between 30 million and 50 million barrels of “high-quality" sanctioned oil to the United States at market price.
He stated that the proceeds from those oil sales would be controlled by him as president and used “to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States."
Trump further described how the oil would be physically transported, writing that it “will be taken by storage ships, and brought directly to unloading docks in the United States," and that Energy Secretary Chris Wright had been tasked with executing the plan.
First Published:
January 07, 2026, 13:13 IST
News world 'Kick Out China, Russia': Team Trump's Warning To Venezuela Before Being Allowed To Pump More Oil
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Read More
