President Donald Trump revealed a groundbreaking arrangement through a detailed post on Truth Social, stating that Venezuela's interim authorities have committed to supplying the United States with between 30 and 50 million barrels of premium-quality crude oil sold strictly at current market rates, with the transaction structured for swift execution via specialized storage ships delivering directly to designated American port facilities.
Emphasizing direct oversight, Trump instructed newly confirmed Energy Secretary Chris Wright to prioritize and expedite the logistics immediately, while clarifying that all financial proceeds from the sales would fall under his exclusive presidential control, ultimately allocated toward programs designed to advance the welfare of both the Venezuelan populace and American interests in the region.
The announcement coincides with high-level preparations at the White House for a strategic Oval Office session scheduled for January 9, expected to include top executives from leading energy corporations such as ExxonMobil, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips, aimed at mapping out broader involvement in Venezuela's oil sector amid lingering infrastructural and political challenges.
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Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodriguez pushed back forcefully against implications of external domination in a nationally televised speech, unequivocally asserting that the Venezuelan government retains full sovereign authority over domestic affairs and dismissing any suggestion of foreign governance in the wake of the U.S.-orchestrated removal of Nicolás Maduro.
Rodriguez navigated a delicate balance between extending tentative overtures for potential collaboration and rallying domestic support among security hardliners, honoring the nation's resilience by proclaiming Venezuela a people that neither surrenders nor relents, while confirming official casualty figures from the January 4 operation—including 23 Venezuelan troops and 32 Cuban personnel—amid unverified reports of additional civilian losses.
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