Venezuela’s interim government under President Delcy Rodríguez has reportedly consented to arrangements with Venezuela supplying oil to the US indefinitely, recognizing dependence on US cooperation for economic survival. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated interim leaders requested seized oil cargo be incorporated into arrangements with Washington.
“They understand that the only way they can move oil and generate revenue and not have economic collapse is if they work with the United States,” Rubio explained, describing Venezuela’s acceptance of supplying oil to the US indefinitely. The statement reveals Venezuela’s interim leadership accepts subordination of energy sovereignty to American oversight as the price of avoiding total economic catastrophe.
PDVSA’s public statement describing negotiations as “strictly commercial” and based on “legality, transparency and mutual benefit” contrasts sharply with the asymmetric power dynamics. The state oil company compared proposed arrangements to existing operations with Chevron, attempting to normalize what critics characterize as effective colonization of national resources through Venezuela supplying oil to the US indefinitely.
President Trump explicitly demanded “total access” for US and private companies to Venezuela’s oil industry, with Energy Secretary Wright designated to execute the arrangement. The framework grants Washington unprecedented authority over another nation’s primary economic asset and revenue source as Venezuela commits to supplying oil to the US indefinitely.
Vice President Vance’s declaration that Venezuela can only sell oil serving American national interests eliminates any pretense of mutual cooperation. The conditional approach to resource sales represents effective economic subjugation, with Venezuelan sovereignty subordinated to US strategic and commercial interests in explicit terms as Venezuela agrees to supplying oil to the US indefinitely.