The United States government has completed its first transaction of Venezuelan crude oil, valued at $500 million, as part of a broader $2 billion energy agreement. An administration official confirmed on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, that these sales represent the opening phase of a deal brokered between Washington and the interim Venezuelan government.
The proceeds are currently being held in bank accounts controlled by the U.S. Treasury, with the primary account located in Qatar to prevent seizure by creditors and ensure funds move only with American approval.
This historic economic shift follows the January 3, 2026, military operation codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve, which led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in Caracas. Maduro was subsequently transported to New York, where he faces federal charges of narco-terrorism and drug trafficking.
In the wake of the operation, President Donald Trump announced that the United States would indefinitely oversee Venezuela’s oil assets and invite American oil majors to rebuild the country’s dilapidated infrastructure.
While interim President Delcy Rodríguez has assumed leadership in Caracas and is cooperating with the energy pact, the U.S. administration remains the primary authority over oil sales. Energy Secretary Chris Wright noted that additional sales are expected in the coming weeks to stabilize global energy prices.
President Trump has emphasized that this arrangement aims to compensate for past damages to U.S. companies and restore Venezuela as a prosperous energy partner, signaling a fundamental transformation of the geopolitical landscape in South America.
