Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro pleads not guilty to drugs charges in first US court appearance<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2026//01//07//how-an-information-vacuum-about-maduros-capture-was-filled-with-deepfakes-and-ai/"> How an information vacuum about Maduro's capture was filled with deepfakes and AI<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>A system of exchanges outside the conventional market<\/h2>\n<p>For more than two decades, Venezuelan oil circulated mostly through bilateral agreements, guaranteed loans, barters and cooperation agreements. This system reduced direct exposure to the market and traditional pricing mechanisms.<\/p>\n<p>The result was an international insertion based on stable relations with a limited number of partners, in which oil acted as a financial guarantee, a diplomatic instrument and a basis for cooperation. <\/p>\n<p>This network has evolved over time and remains a central element in understanding Venezuela's economy and foreign policy today. <\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//61//02//77//808x539_cmsv2_1a22bf0d-3897-5718-b250-e7903abe38d8-9610277.jpg/" alt=\"A destroyed statue of the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez lies next to its base in Valencia, 31 July, 2024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/02\/77\/384x256_cmsv2_1a22bf0d-3897-5718-b250-e7903abe38d8-9610277.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/02\/77\/640x427_cmsv2_1a22bf0d-3897-5718-b250-e7903abe38d8-9610277.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/02\/77\/750x500_cmsv2_1a22bf0d-3897-5718-b250-e7903abe38d8-9610277.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/02\/77\/828x552_cmsv2_1a22bf0d-3897-5718-b250-e7903abe38d8-9610277.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/02\/77\/1080x720_cmsv2_1a22bf0d-3897-5718-b250-e7903abe38d8-9610277.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/02\/77\/1200x800_cmsv2_1a22bf0d-3897-5718-b250-e7903abe38d8-9610277.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/02\/77\/1920x1280_cmsv2_1a22bf0d-3897-5718-b250-e7903abe38d8-9610277.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">A destroyed statue of the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez lies next to its base in Valencia, 31 July, 2024<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>Cuba: Energy for services<\/h2>\n<p>Beginning in the early 2000s, Venezuela guaranteed regular oil shipments to Cuba in exchange for professional services and cooperation. <\/p>\n<p>The scheme expanded through PetroCaribe, incorporating numerous Caribbean countries with deferred payment and preferential rates.<\/p>\n<p>Rogelio N\u00fa\u00f1ez, senior researcher at the Elcano Institute, said Cuba's dependence on Venezuelan oil is greater today than in previous years, although received volumes are lower. <\/p>\n<p>This oil was not only used domestically, but for years a significant portion was resold on international markets, allowing Havana's financial income that disappeared when the United States intensified interceptions and sanctions.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//61//02//77//808x539_cmsv2_744c8280-3a5c-577a-8e04-4c3e95f19ad9-9610277.jpg/" alt=\"Oil pump jacks stand on Lake Maracaibo Lake in Cabimas, 7 January, 2026\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/02\/77\/384x256_cmsv2_744c8280-3a5c-577a-8e04-4c3e95f19ad9-9610277.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/02\/77\/640x427_cmsv2_744c8280-3a5c-577a-8e04-4c3e95f19ad9-9610277.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/02\/77\/750x500_cmsv2_744c8280-3a5c-577a-8e04-4c3e95f19ad9-9610277.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/02\/77\/828x552_cmsv2_744c8280-3a5c-577a-8e04-4c3e95f19ad9-9610277.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/02\/77\/1080x720_cmsv2_744c8280-3a5c-577a-8e04-4c3e95f19ad9-9610277.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/02\/77\/1200x800_cmsv2_744c8280-3a5c-577a-8e04-4c3e95f19ad9-9610277.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/02\/77\/1920x1280_cmsv2_744c8280-3a5c-577a-8e04-4c3e95f19ad9-9610277.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Oil pump jacks stand on Lake Maracaibo Lake in Cabimas, 7 January, 2026<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Manuel Hidalgo, economist at Pablo de Olavide University, said Cuba imported approximately 30% of its energy needs. The interruption of Venezuelan supplies aggravates an already critical situation.<\/p>\n<p>The rupture of this energy relationship \"cuts to the quick\" and fully affects the Cuban economy, Hidalgo said. This external pressure could force some regime adjustment, though not necessarily immediate.<\/p>\n<p>Hidalgo pointed out unusual statements in official Cuban media with self-criticism, something \"not seen for years.\"<\/p>\n<p>Regarding Cuba's quid pro quo, Hidalgo recalled an exchange of commodities, including sugar and traditional exports, as well as the provision of services.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//60//52//82//808x539_cmsv2_92b5ebab-4175-5c29-9bea-287e002e9885-9605282.jpg/" alt=\"The oil tanker Nord Star Panama on Lake Maracaibo, 7 January, 2026\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/52\/82\/384x256_cmsv2_92b5ebab-4175-5c29-9bea-287e002e9885-9605282.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/52\/82\/640x427_cmsv2_92b5ebab-4175-5c29-9bea-287e002e9885-9605282.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/52\/82\/750x500_cmsv2_92b5ebab-4175-5c29-9bea-287e002e9885-9605282.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/52\/82\/828x552_cmsv2_92b5ebab-4175-5c29-9bea-287e002e9885-9605282.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/52\/82\/1080x720_cmsv2_92b5ebab-4175-5c29-9bea-287e002e9885-9605282.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/52\/82\/1200x800_cmsv2_92b5ebab-4175-5c29-9bea-287e002e9885-9605282.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/52\/82\/1920x1280_cmsv2_92b5ebab-4175-5c29-9bea-287e002e9885-9605282.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">The oil tanker Nord Star Panama on Lake Maracaibo, 7 January, 2026<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>China: Financing through oil-backed loans<\/h2>\n<p>Since the late 2000s, Chinese state-owned banks provided oil-backed loans, becoming one of Venezuela's main external financing sources. Payments were structured in crude shipments, implying sustained supply commitments.<\/p>\n<p>This allowed the Venezuelan state access to resources when international financial markets were restricted. Chinese companies participated in exploration and production projects, particularly in the Orinoco Oil Belt.<\/p>\n<p>Hidalgo said Beijing exploited Venezuela's precarious situation to strengthen its presence. However, Venezuelan oil was probably not China's main objective, as it is heavy crude, difficult to process, with high costs and limited export capacity due to a lack of investment.<\/p>\n<p>Venezuela was producing below its potential, reducing crude's economic attractiveness. Chinese interest focused more on other raw materials and strategic positioning, though the agreements are \"rather opaque,\" Hidalgo said.<\/p>\n<p>Hidalgo described the US reaction as part of a strategy to limit China's access to resources and strategic positions in South America, with Washington considering the region part of its sphere of influence.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//61//02//77//808x539_cmsv2_f10a1279-ae44-5b1f-b775-d6182300c133-9610277.jpg/" alt=\"Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during a meeting in Beijing, 13 September, 2023\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/02\/77\/384x256_cmsv2_f10a1279-ae44-5b1f-b775-d6182300c133-9610277.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/02\/77\/640x427_cmsv2_f10a1279-ae44-5b1f-b775-d6182300c133-9610277.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/02\/77\/750x500_cmsv2_f10a1279-ae44-5b1f-b775-d6182300c133-9610277.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/02\/77\/828x552_cmsv2_f10a1279-ae44-5b1f-b775-d6182300c133-9610277.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/02\/77\/1080x720_cmsv2_f10a1279-ae44-5b1f-b775-d6182300c133-9610277.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/02\/77\/1200x800_cmsv2_f10a1279-ae44-5b1f-b775-d6182300c133-9610277.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/02\/77\/1920x1280_cmsv2_f10a1279-ae44-5b1f-b775-d6182300c133-9610277.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during a meeting in Beijing, 13 September, 2023<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Since 2000, Beijing became the first or second largest trading partner of most Latin American countries, ahead of Washington. Uncertainty generated by increased US tariffs during Donald Trump's presidency accelerated this process.<\/p>\n<p>In Venezuela's case, China has become the primary destination for oil exports, accounting for nearly 95% of the country's external revenues.<\/p>\n<p>After Maduro's fall, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated Washington would not allow \"the Western Hemisphere to become a base of operations for adversaries, competitors, and rivals of the United States.\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//61//01//94//808x539_cmsv2_90557fad-c619-5a52-a426-50effba5ddff-9610194.jpg/" alt=\"A motorcyclist rides past graffiti depicting former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas, 11 January, 2026\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/01\/94\/384x256_cmsv2_90557fad-c619-5a52-a426-50effba5ddff-9610194.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/01\/94\/640x427_cmsv2_90557fad-c619-5a52-a426-50effba5ddff-9610194.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/01\/94\/750x500_cmsv2_90557fad-c619-5a52-a426-50effba5ddff-9610194.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/01\/94\/828x552_cmsv2_90557fad-c619-5a52-a426-50effba5ddff-9610194.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/01\/94\/1080x720_cmsv2_90557fad-c619-5a52-a426-50effba5ddff-9610194.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/01\/94\/1200x800_cmsv2_90557fad-c619-5a52-a426-50effba5ddff-9610194.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/01\/94\/1920x1280_cmsv2_90557fad-c619-5a52-a426-50effba5ddff-9610194.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">A motorcyclist rides past graffiti depicting former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas, 11 January, 2026<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Chinese firms are among the few foreign companies continuing to operate in Venezuela. State-owned China National Petroleum Corporation manages several joint ventures.<\/p>\n<p>According to US think tank American Enterprise Institute, between 2016 and 2023 Chinese investment in the Venezuelan oil sector reached about $2.1 billion.<\/p>\n<p>Maduro's arrest and increased political instability have increased China's exposure. Venezuela's outstanding debt to Beijing exceeds $10 billion, and repayment remains uncertain.<\/p>\n<p>Venezuelan oil accounted for around 4% of total Chinese imports last year. Despite Maduro's departure, much of the country's administrative structure remains intact.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2026//01//12//trump-calls-himself-venezuelas-acting-president-in-truth-social-post/">Trump styles himself as 'Venezuela's acting president' in Truth Social post<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2026//01//08//us-could-run-venezuela-and-tap-into-its-oil-reserves-for-years-trump-says-in-interview/">US could run Venezuela and tap into its oil reserves for years, Trump says in interview<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>Russia: Geopolitical partnership<\/h2>\n<p>Russia strengthened its relationship with Venezuela through energy sector partnerships. Russian companies became involved in joint oil projects, contributing capital, technology and operational capacity in both crude and gas production.<\/p>\n<p>Energy cooperation was part of a broader bilateral relationship, which also encompassed diplomatic support and political coordination in international fora.<\/p>\n<p>Hidalgo said that oil is not Moscow's primary incentive in its relationship with Venezuela. Russia is a major energy producer and currently has difficulties selling its own crude, so seeking Venezuelan oil makes no sense.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6285860655737705\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//52//34//25//808x508_cmsv2_bdc150b7-0803-5dc1-92bf-e4b37da49038-9523425.jpg/" alt=\"A view of reservoirs of Russian state-controlled oil giant OAO Rosneft in western Siberia, 5 April, 2006\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/52\/34\/25\/384x241_cmsv2_bdc150b7-0803-5dc1-92bf-e4b37da49038-9523425.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/52\/34\/25\/640x402_cmsv2_bdc150b7-0803-5dc1-92bf-e4b37da49038-9523425.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/52\/34\/25\/750x471_cmsv2_bdc150b7-0803-5dc1-92bf-e4b37da49038-9523425.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/52\/34\/25\/828x520_cmsv2_bdc150b7-0803-5dc1-92bf-e4b37da49038-9523425.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/52\/34\/25\/1080x679_cmsv2_bdc150b7-0803-5dc1-92bf-e4b37da49038-9523425.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/52\/34\/25\/1200x754_cmsv2_bdc150b7-0803-5dc1-92bf-e4b37da49038-9523425.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/52\/34\/25\/1920x1207_cmsv2_bdc150b7-0803-5dc1-92bf-e4b37da49038-9523425.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">A view of reservoirs of Russian state-controlled oil giant OAO Rosneft in western Siberia, 5 April, 2006<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Misha Japaridze\/Copyright 2006 The AP. All rights reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>The link to Venezuela reflects geopolitical motivations. Russia's presence in South America allows Moscow to exert pressure on the United States in the region, with Cuba as a key player, and to have a political and military partner on the continent.<\/p>\n<p>This relationship can also facilitate access to certain products or materials that Russia does not easily obtain in other markets. However, the strategic and political component outweighs any direct economic benefits, Hidalgo said.<\/p>\n<p>When more details emerge about certain recent episodes, such as shipment contents tapped by US authorities, it will be possible to better understand the depth of Venezuela-Russia relations, which could be practically cut off, he said.<\/p>\n<h2>Iran: Energy exchange under sanctions<\/h2>\n<p>Relations with Iran intensified in the second half of the 2010s, when both countries faced severe constraints in global financial and energy markets. <\/p>\n<p>Direct exchange mechanisms were developed, allowing fuel supply, components and technical assistance.<\/p>\n<p>These agreements included petrol and condensate shipments to Venezuela, as well as Venezuelan crude receipt by Iran.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.5616438356164384\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//60//27//49//808x454_cmsv2_1a245235-0dd1-5889-ada4-6eac4d703250-9602749.jpg/" alt=\"OPEC's annual chart of crude oil export destinations in 2024.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/27\/49\/384x216_cmsv2_1a245235-0dd1-5889-ada4-6eac4d703250-9602749.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/27\/49\/640x359_cmsv2_1a245235-0dd1-5889-ada4-6eac4d703250-9602749.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/27\/49\/750x421_cmsv2_1a245235-0dd1-5889-ada4-6eac4d703250-9602749.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/27\/49\/828x465_cmsv2_1a245235-0dd1-5889-ada4-6eac4d703250-9602749.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/27\/49\/1080x607_cmsv2_1a245235-0dd1-5889-ada4-6eac4d703250-9602749.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/27\/49\/1200x674_cmsv2_1a245235-0dd1-5889-ada4-6eac4d703250-9602749.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/27\/49\/1920x1078_cmsv2_1a245235-0dd1-5889-ada4-6eac4d703250-9602749.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">OPEC's annual chart of crude oil export destinations in 2024.<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">OPEP<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p> Oil played a central role as an exchange asset in schemes designed to operate outside traditional trading channels.<\/p>\n<p>Hidalgo provided no concrete information on specific Iran-Venezuela agreements, stressing these relations are marked by an enormous lack of transparency. Many agreements are negotiated and managed outside public scrutiny.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1768230827,"updatedAt":1768284061,"publishedAt":1768284041,"firstPublishedAt":1768284041,"lastPublishedAt":1768284060,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/27\/49\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_254d6b82-e3db-57c3-8f9b-4d4bed0d7c7d-9602749.jpg","altText":"A mural depicting the machinery that extracts oil in a Venezuelan street","caption":"A mural depicting the machinery that extracts oil in a Venezuelan street","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"height":1333},{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/02\/77\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_f10a1279-ae44-5b1f-b775-d6182300c133-9610277.jpg","altText":"Venezuela's President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during a meeting in Beijing, 13 September, 2023","caption":"Venezuela's President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during a meeting in Beijing, 13 September, 2023","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"height":1333},{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/02\/77\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_744c8280-3a5c-577a-8e04-4c3e95f19ad9-9610277.jpg","altText":"Oil pump jacks stand on Lake Maracaibo Lake in Cabimas, 7 January, 2026","caption":"Oil pump jacks stand on Lake Maracaibo Lake in Cabimas, 7 January, 2026","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"height":1333},{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/02\/77\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_1a22bf0d-3897-5718-b250-e7903abe38d8-9610277.jpg","altText":"A destroyed statue of the late Venezuelan President Hugo Ch\u00e1vez lies next to its base in Valencia, 31 July, 2024","caption":"A destroyed statue of the late Venezuelan President Hugo Ch\u00e1vez lies next to its base in Valencia, 31 July, 2024","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"height":1333},{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/02\/77\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_547e48aa-a207-51b4-afbf-7b9a98ac72d4-9610277.jpg","altText":"Venezuelan President Hugo Ch\u00e1vez kisses a crucifix as he greets supporters from the presidential palace in Caracas, 4 July, 2011","caption":"Venezuelan President Hugo Ch\u00e1vez kisses a crucifix as he greets supporters from the presidential palace in Caracas, 4 July, 2011","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Ariana Cubillos\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved.","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"height":1412},{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/02\/77\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_b3639f65-670d-5438-b8c6-4cfba7b08025-9610277.jpg","altText":"Vehicles drive past the El Palito oil refinery in Puerto Cabello, 21 December, 2025","caption":"Vehicles drive past the El Palito oil refinery in Puerto Cabello, 21 December, 2025","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"height":1333},{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/01\/94\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_90557fad-c619-5a52-a426-50effba5ddff-9610194.jpg","altText":"A motorcyclist rides past graffiti depicting former Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro in Caracas, 11 January, 2026","caption":"A motorcyclist rides past graffiti depicting former Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro in Caracas, 11 January, 2026","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"height":1333},{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/52\/82\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_92b5ebab-4175-5c29-9bea-287e002e9885-9605282.jpg","altText":"The oil tanker Nord Star Panama on Lake Maracaibo, 7 January, 2026","caption":"The oil tanker Nord Star Panama on Lake Maracaibo, 7 January, 2026","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"height":1333},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/52\/34\/25\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_bdc150b7-0803-5dc1-92bf-e4b37da49038-9523425.jpg","altText":"A view of reservoirs of Russian state-controlled oil giant OAO Rosneft in western Siberia, 5 April, 2006","caption":"A view of reservoirs of Russian state-controlled oil giant OAO Rosneft in western Siberia, 5 April, 2006","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Misha Japaridze\/Copyright 2006 The AP. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1952,"height":1227}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":3232,"urlSafeValue":"caraballo","title":"Cristian Caraballo","twitter":null},{"id":3443,"urlSafeValue":"javier.iniguez-de-onzono@euronews.com","title":"Javier Iniguez De Onzono","twitter":null}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":63,"slug":"cuba","urlSafeValue":"cuba","title":"Cuba","titleRaw":"Cuba"},{"id":153,"slug":"iran","urlSafeValue":"iran","title":"Iran","titleRaw":"Iran"},{"id":239,"slug":"russia","urlSafeValue":"russia","title":"Russia","titleRaw":"Russia"},{"id":311,"slug":"china","urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","titleRaw":"China"},{"id":450,"slug":"venezuela","urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","titleRaw":"Venezuela"},{"id":13222,"slug":"oil","urlSafeValue":"oil","title":"Oil","titleRaw":"Oil"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"image","count":9},{"slug":"related","count":2}],"related":[{"id":319446},{"id":2774932},{"id":2861529}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":4392,"urlSafeValue":"america","title":"America"},"country":{"id":298,"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","url":"\/news\/america\/venezuela"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":{"id":1,"slug":"deepl","isActive":1},"localisation":{"producerLanguage":"es","storyId":9602749,"online":1},"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":1,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/2026\/01\/13\/venezuelas-black-gold-allies-caracas-links-to-cuba-china-russia-and-iran","lastModified":1768284060},{"id":2861529,"cid":9609982,"versionId":2,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"GREEN_Why boosting production of Venezuela's 'very dense, very sloppy' oil could harm the environment (AP)","daletPyramidId":3854851,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Why boosting production of Venezuela's 'very dense, very sloppy' oil could harm the environment","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Why boosting Venezuela's oil production could skyrocket pollution","titleListing2":"Why boosting production of Venezuela's 'very dense, very sloppy' oil could harm the environment","leadin":"Even a modest increase in Venezuelan oil production could carry climate consequences on the scale of entire countries, experts warn.","summary":"Even a modest increase in Venezuelan oil production could carry climate consequences on the scale of entire countries, experts warn.","keySentence":"","url":"why-boosting-production-of-venezuelas-very-dense-very-sloppy-oil-could-harm-the-environmen","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/green\/2026\/01\/12\/why-boosting-production-of-venezuelas-very-dense-very-sloppy-oil-could-harm-the-environmen","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Environmental experts are warning that the US push to revamp and boost Venezuela\u2019s vast oil reserves could worsen decades of ecological damage. It could also increase planet-warming pollution in a country already struggling with the legacy of a long-declining petroleum industry.\n\nThe warnings come as Washington has intensified pressure on Venezuela following the capture of former President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro last weekend. Since then, the United States has moved to assert control over Venezuelan oil exports, the country's main source of revenue, seizing tankers it says were transporting crude in violation of US sanctions and signalling plans to redirect Venezuelan oil to global markets under US oversight.\n\nThe Trump administration has said it plans to sell between 30 million and 50 million barrels of Venezuelan crude worldwide, though it has not specified a time frame. Proceeds would be held in US-controlled accounts, which the administration says would benefit both Venezuelans and Americans.\n\nVenezuela is already highly exposed to oil pollution\n\nIndustry analysts caution that significantly expanding Venezuelan oil production would require years of investment and tens of billions of dollars to repair decaying infrastructure, raising questions about how quickly \u2013 or whether \u2013 Trump\u2019s plans could realistically be carried out.\n\n\u201cYou\u2019ve got storage facilities literally sinking into the ground, broken wellheads and degraded infrastructure across the board,\u201d says Paasha Mahdavi, an associate professor of political science at the University of California, Santa Barbara, who studies energy governance and political economy.\n\nVenezuela's oil reserves are thought to be the largest in the world at an estimated 300 billion barrels. The country, which stretches from the Caribbean coast into the northern Andes, is already highly exposed to oil pollution and ranks among tropical countries with the fastest deforestation rates, according to Global Forest Watch, an online monitoring platform hosted by the World Resources Institute.\n\nIt produces heavy crude that emits significantly more pollution than most other forms of oil. That's because it takes more energy to extract and refine, which often involves burning natural gas, mostly methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that heats the planet.\n\nReviving Venezuela\u2019s oil industry would deepen environmental damage in a country already plagued by spills, gas leaks and dilapidated infrastructure, with higher output expected to boost climate emissions and increase spill risks in fragile ecosystems, several experts warned.\n\nThe Venezuelan Political Ecology Observatory, an environmental watchdog, documented nearly 200 oil spills from 2016 to 2021 that were largely unreported by authorities.\n\nSatellite data from Global Forest Watch, an online forest monitoring platform hosted by the World Resources Institute, show Venezuela has lost roughly 2.6 million hectares of tree cover \u2013 about the size of North Macedonia \u2013 over the past two decades, largely driven by agriculture, mining and fires, though oil activity has contributed to forest loss in some producing regions.\n\nAccording to a 2025 report by the International Energy Agency, the methane emissions intensity, or ratio of methane released to natural gas produced, was far above the norm in Venezuela's oil and gas operations, with estimates showing upstream methane emissions roughly six times the world average. Flaring intensity, or volume of natural gas burned to oil produced, was about 10 times higher than typical global levels.\n\nIn a statement shared with news agency AP, the US Department of Energy said US oil and gas companies that would revamp Venezuela's oil industry had \u201cthe highest environmental standards\u201d.\n\n\u201cAs American investment in Venezuela increases, you can expect environmental conditions to improve,\u201d the statement said.\n\nProduction of Venezuelan crude oil is energy and carbon intensive\n\nThe dense and sticky Venezuelan crude is high in sulfur, making it harder to extract and refine than other oil, such as the lighter oil produced from US shale fields, says Diego Rivera Rivota, a senior research associate at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s very dense, very sloppy, very hard. And it\u2019s also very sour,\" Rivota says. \"What that means in practical terms is that it requires, versus other types of oil resources, higher infrastructure, higher use of energy - it\u2019s much more energy intensive - and hence much more carbon intensive as well.\u201d\n\nStill, many US refineries were designed decades ago to process that type of oil, making Venezuelan crude a good fit despite its higher processing demands.\n\nEven a modest increase in Venezuelan oil production could carry climate consequences on the scale of entire countries, says Mahdavi, of the University of California, Santa Barbara.\n\nMahdavi says raising output by about 1 million barrels a day \u2013 a level often cited as a near-term goal \u2013 would add roughly 360 million tons of carbon dioxide a year from production. Pushing production further, to around 1.5 million barrels a day, could drive annual emissions to about 550 million tons, he says \u2013 comparable to the emissions from roughly half of all gasoline-powered vehicles in the United States.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s just the production side,\u201d says Mahdavi, noting that far larger emissions are generated when the oil is eventually burned by consumers.\n\nVenezuela\u2019s ageing oil infrastructure heightens risk of spills\n\nPatrick Galey of nonprofit Global Witness says Venezuela\u2019s oil system is among the most poorly maintained in the world after years of underinvestment, with ageing pipelines, storage facilities and widespread gas flaring that heighten the risk of spills and methane leaks. He says any rapid push to expand production is likely to prioritise output over pollution controls, worsening climate and environmental damage.\n\nKevin Book, director of research at ClearView Energy Partners, says there could be efforts to make Venezuelan oil production more efficient, both economically and environmentally, with a significant amount of investment.\n\n\u201cThe new investment will bring the latest technologies in methane capture and emissions management to bear, not just because of environmental goals, but because there\u2019s a valuable resource to be captured and sold,\u201d Book says. \"And so for that reason, there\u2019s actually some potential relative environmental upside compared to status quo, if you take the assumption that oil demand was going to grow anyway.\u201d\n\nIn recent public remarks, US officials have focused on control of oil sales, revenues and infrastructure repairs, without mentioning environmental safeguards or climate impacts. President Trump, both in his first and now second term, has repeatedly dismissed the scientific consensus on climate change and rolled back environmental and clean-energy policies.\n\nImpacts on already fragile environment\n\nIn Caracas, Antonio de Lisio, an environmental professor and researcher at the Central University of Venezuela, says oil exploitation in the country has long gone hand in hand with environmental damage, leaving decades-old pollution that has never been fully addressed.\n\nHe says Venezuela\u2019s heavy oil reserves lie in fragile plains crisscrossed by slow-moving rivers, a geography that can magnify the effects of spills.\n\n\u201cAny oil spill has the potential to worsen because these are not fast-moving rivers, they are slow-moving waters,\u201d de Lisio says, referring to morichales \u2013 palm-swamp wetlands common in eastern Venezuela, where contamination can persist for long periods.\n\nHe says that energy-intensive processing plants that use heat, chemicals and large volumes of water to make heavy crude exportable pose added environmental risks, especially in fragile river systems.\n\nEnvironmental damage has persisted even as oil production has declined, he says, pointing to Lake Maracaibo \u2013 a shallow lake in western Venezuela drilled for oil for more than a century \u2013 as one of the most heavily oil-polluted ecosystems in the world.\n\nHe says spills and contamination have also affected other regions, including areas near the Paraguana refining complex and protected coastal parks such as Morrocoy, where pollution has devastated marine life and coral reefs.\n\nThe true environmental and social costs of Venezuela\u2019s oil have never been fully calculated, de Lisio says.\n\n\u201cIf those costs were fully accounted for, we would see that continuing to produce oil is not the best business for Venezuela.\"\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Environmental experts are warning that the US push to revamp and boost Venezuela\u2019s vast oil reserves could worsen decades of ecological damage. It could also increase planet-warming pollution in a country already struggling with the legacy of a long-declining petroleum industry.<\/p>\n<p>The warnings come as Washington has intensified pressure on Venezuela following the capture of former President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro last weekend. Since then, the United States has moved to assert control over Venezuelan oil exports, the country's main source of revenue, <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2026//01//09//us-seizes-another-tanker-trying-to-break-venezuela-naval-blockade/">seizing tankers<\/strong><\/a> it says were transporting crude in violation of US sanctions and signalling plans to redirect Venezuelan oil to global markets under US oversight.<\/p>\n<p>The Trump administration has said it plans to sell between 30 million and 50 million barrels of Venezuelan crude worldwide, though it has not specified a time frame. Proceeds would be held in US-controlled accounts, which the administration says would benefit both Venezuelans and Americans.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//green//2026//01//09//mining-climate-and-smokescreens-whats-driving-trumps-interest-in-greenland/">Mining, climate and smokescreens: What's driving Trump's interest in Greenland?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//green//2026//01//10//richest-1-have-blown-through-their-carbon-budget-for-2026-in-just-10-days-experts-warn/">Richest 1% have \u2018blown through\u2019 their carbon budget for 2026 in just 10 days - experts warn<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>Venezuela is already highly exposed to oil pollution<\/h2>\n<p>Industry analysts caution that significantly expanding Venezuelan oil production would require years of investment and tens of billions of dollars to repair decaying infrastructure, raising questions about how quickly \u2013 or whether \u2013 <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2026//01//12//trump-calls-himself-venezuelas-acting-president-in-truth-social-post/">Trump/u2019s plans could realistically be carried out.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019ve got storage facilities literally sinking into the ground, broken wellheads and degraded infrastructure across the board,\u201d says Paasha Mahdavi, an associate professor of political science at the University of California, Santa Barbara, who studies energy governance and political economy.<\/p>\n<p><a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//green//2026//01//05//a-fossil-fuelled-war-trumps-plans-to-exploit-venezuelas-oil-reserves-sparks-climate-backla/">Venezuela's oil reserves<\/strong><\/a> are thought to be the largest in the world at an estimated 300 billion barrels. The country, which stretches from the Caribbean coast into the northern Andes, is already highly exposed to oil pollution and ranks among tropical countries with the fastest deforestation rates, according to Global Forest Watch, an online monitoring platform hosted by the World Resources Institute. <\/p>\n<p>It produces heavy crude that emits significantly more pollution than most other forms of oil. That's because it takes more energy to extract and refine, which often involves burning natural gas, mostly methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that heats the planet.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.5625\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//60//99//82//808x454_cmsv2_d38883be-fefb-5418-8d2f-5022fd0bde6e-9609982.jpg/" alt=\"FILE - A local walks past a mural featuring oil pumps and wells in Caracas, Venezuela, Jan. 6, 2026. \" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/99\/82\/384x216_cmsv2_d38883be-fefb-5418-8d2f-5022fd0bde6e-9609982.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/99\/82\/640x360_cmsv2_d38883be-fefb-5418-8d2f-5022fd0bde6e-9609982.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/99\/82\/750x422_cmsv2_d38883be-fefb-5418-8d2f-5022fd0bde6e-9609982.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/99\/82\/828x466_cmsv2_d38883be-fefb-5418-8d2f-5022fd0bde6e-9609982.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/99\/82\/1080x608_cmsv2_d38883be-fefb-5418-8d2f-5022fd0bde6e-9609982.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/99\/82\/1200x675_cmsv2_d38883be-fefb-5418-8d2f-5022fd0bde6e-9609982.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/99\/82\/1920x1080_cmsv2_d38883be-fefb-5418-8d2f-5022fd0bde6e-9609982.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">FILE - A local walks past a mural featuring oil pumps and wells in Caracas, Venezuela, Jan. 6, 2026. <\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo\/Matias Delacroix, File<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Reviving Venezuela\u2019s<a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//green//2025//11//19//eu-farmer-takes-oil-giant-totalenergies-to-court-in-groundbreaking-hearing-over-climate-da/"> <strong>oil industry<\/strong> <\/a>would deepen environmental damage in a country already plagued by spills, gas leaks and dilapidated infrastructure, with higher output expected to boost climate emissions and increase spill risks in fragile ecosystems, several experts warned.<\/p>\n<p>The Venezuelan Political Ecology Observatory, an environmental watchdog, documented nearly 200 oil spills from 2016 to 2021 that were largely unreported by authorities.<\/p>\n<p>Satellite data from Global Forest Watch, an online forest monitoring platform hosted by the World Resources Institute, show Venezuela has lost roughly 2.6 million hectares of <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//green//2025//10//14//forests-are-non-negotiable-world-off-course-to-meet-2030-deforestation-pledge/">tree cover<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 about the size of North Macedonia \u2013 over the past two decades, largely driven by agriculture, mining and fires, though oil activity has contributed to forest loss in some producing regions.<\/p>\n<p>According to a 2025 report by the International Energy Agency, the methane emissions intensity, or ratio of methane released to natural gas produced, was far above the norm in Venezuela's oil and gas operations, with estimates showing upstream <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//green//2025//04//09//europes-largest-meteorite-impact-crater-is-pumping-out-methane/">methane emissions<\/strong><\/a> roughly six times the world average. Flaring intensity, or volume of natural gas burned to oil produced, was about 10 times higher than typical global levels.<\/p>\n<p>In a statement shared with news agency AP, the US Department of Energy said US oil and gas companies that would revamp Venezuela's oil industry had \u201cthe highest environmental standards\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs American investment in Venezuela increases, you can expect environmental conditions to improve,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//green//2026//01//28//direct-assault-how-trump-has-rolled-back-climate-progress-in-the-first-10-days-of-2026/">Trump Tracker: How the US is rolling back back climate progress in 2026<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>Production of Venezuelan crude oil is energy and carbon intensive<\/h2>\n<p>The dense and sticky Venezuelan crude is high in sulfur, making it harder to extract and refine than other oil, such as the lighter oil produced from US shale fields, says Diego Rivera Rivota, a senior research associate at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s very dense, very sloppy, very hard. And it\u2019s also very sour,\" Rivota says. \"What that means in practical terms is that it requires, versus other types of oil resources, higher infrastructure, higher use of energy - it\u2019s much more energy intensive - and hence much more carbon intensive as well.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Still, many US refineries were designed decades ago to process that type of oil, making Venezuelan crude a good fit despite its higher processing demands.<\/p>\n<p>Even a modest increase in Venezuelan <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//green//2025//10//09//fossil-fuel-companies-claim-to-invest-in-renewables-but-is-it-really-helping-the-energy-tr/">oil production<\/strong><\/a> could carry climate consequences on the scale of entire countries, says Mahdavi, of the University of California, Santa Barbara.<\/p>\n<p>Mahdavi says raising output by about 1 million barrels a day \u2013 a level often cited as a near-term goal \u2013 would add roughly 360 million tons of carbon dioxide a year from production. Pushing production further, to around 1.5 million barrels a day, could drive annual emissions to about 550 million tons, he says \u2013 comparable to the emissions from roughly half of all gasoline-powered vehicles in the United States.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s just the production side,\u201d says Mahdavi, noting that far larger emissions are generated when the oil is eventually burned by consumers.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.5625\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//60//99//82//808x454_cmsv2_bd1f0dc7-416f-54c5-976a-9c10945d260a-9609982.jpg/" alt=\"FILE - Evana, an oil tanker, is docked at El Palito Port in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, Dec. 21, 2025. \" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/99\/82\/384x216_cmsv2_bd1f0dc7-416f-54c5-976a-9c10945d260a-9609982.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/99\/82\/640x360_cmsv2_bd1f0dc7-416f-54c5-976a-9c10945d260a-9609982.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/99\/82\/750x422_cmsv2_bd1f0dc7-416f-54c5-976a-9c10945d260a-9609982.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/99\/82\/828x466_cmsv2_bd1f0dc7-416f-54c5-976a-9c10945d260a-9609982.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/99\/82\/1080x608_cmsv2_bd1f0dc7-416f-54c5-976a-9c10945d260a-9609982.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/99\/82\/1200x675_cmsv2_bd1f0dc7-416f-54c5-976a-9c10945d260a-9609982.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/99\/82\/1920x1080_cmsv2_bd1f0dc7-416f-54c5-976a-9c10945d260a-9609982.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">FILE - Evana, an oil tanker, is docked at El Palito Port in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, Dec. 21, 2025. <\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo\/Matias Delacroix, File<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>Venezuela\u2019s ageing oil infrastructure heightens risk of spills<\/h2>\n<p>Patrick Galey of nonprofit Global Witness says Venezuela\u2019s oil system is among the most poorly maintained in the world after years of underinvestment, with ageing pipelines, storage facilities and widespread gas flaring that heighten the risk of spills and methane leaks. He says any rapid push to expand production is likely to prioritise output over pollution controls, worsening climate and environmental damage.<\/p>\n<p>Kevin Book, director of research at ClearView Energy Partners, says there could be efforts to make Venezuelan oil production more efficient, both economically and environmentally, with a significant amount of investment.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe new investment will bring the latest technologies in <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//green//2024//02//13//methane-could-make-or-break-the-worlds-global-warming-limit-where-in-europe-is-it-leaking-/">methane capture and emissions management to bear, not just because of environmental goals, but because there\u2019s a valuable resource to be captured and sold,\u201d Book says. \"And so for that reason, there\u2019s actually some potential relative environmental upside compared to status quo, if you take the assumption that oil demand was going to grow anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In recent public remarks, US officials have focused on control of oil sales, revenues and infrastructure repairs, without mentioning environmental safeguards or climate impacts. President Trump, both in his first and now second term, has repeatedly dismissed the scientific consensus on climate change and rolled back environmental and clean-energy policies.<\/p>\n<h2>Impacts on already fragile environment<\/h2>\n<p>In Caracas, Antonio de Lisio, an environmental professor and researcher at the Central University of Venezuela, says oil exploitation in the country has long gone hand in hand with environmental damage, leaving decades-old pollution that has never been fully addressed.<\/p>\n<p>He says Venezuela\u2019s heavy oil reserves lie in fragile plains crisscrossed by slow-moving rivers, a geography that can magnify the effects of spills.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAny oil spill has the potential to worsen because these are not fast-moving rivers, they are slow-moving waters,\u201d de Lisio says, referring to morichales \u2013 palm-swamp wetlands common in eastern Venezuela, where contamination can persist for long periods.<\/p>\n<p>He says that energy-intensive processing plants that use heat, chemicals and large volumes of water to make heavy crude exportable pose added environmental risks, especially in fragile river systems.<\/p>\n<p>Environmental damage has persisted even as oil production has declined, he says, pointing to Lake Maracaibo \u2013 a shallow lake in western Venezuela drilled for oil for more than a century \u2013 as one of the most heavily oil-polluted ecosystems in the world. <\/p>\n<p>He says spills and contamination have also affected other regions, including areas near the Paraguana refining complex and protected coastal parks such as Morrocoy, where pollution has devastated marine life and <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//green//2026//01//05//how-the-oceans-coral-reefs-could-be-the-secret-weapon-to-tackle-food-insecurity-around-the/">coral reefs<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The true environmental and social costs of Venezuela\u2019s oil have never been fully calculated, de Lisio says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf those costs were fully accounted for, we would see that continuing to produce oil is not the best business for Venezuela.\"<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1768217725,"updatedAt":1768231380,"publishedAt":1768229862,"firstPublishedAt":1768229862,"lastPublishedAt":1768231380,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo\/Matias Delacroix, File","altText":"FILE - The El Palito oil refinery operates in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, Dec. 21, 2025. ","callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"caption":"FILE - The El Palito oil refinery operates in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, Dec. 21, 2025. ","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/99\/82\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_fbe0d815-d64c-55ac-9442-c5948494c4ab-9609982.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1080},{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo\/Matias Delacroix, File","altText":"FILE - Evana, an oil tanker, is docked at El Palito Port in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, Dec. 21, 2025. ","callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"caption":"FILE - Evana, an oil tanker, is docked at El Palito Port in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, Dec. 21, 2025. ","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/99\/82\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_bd1f0dc7-416f-54c5-976a-9c10945d260a-9609982.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1080},{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo\/Matias Delacroix, File","altText":"FILE - A local walks past a mural featuring oil pumps and wells in Caracas, Venezuela, Jan. 6, 2026. ","callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"caption":"FILE - A local walks past a mural featuring oil pumps and wells in Caracas, Venezuela, Jan. 6, 2026. ","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/99\/82\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_d38883be-fefb-5418-8d2f-5022fd0bde6e-9609982.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1080}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"greenhouse-gas-emissions","titleRaw":"greenhouse gas emissions","id":18664,"title":"greenhouse gas emissions","slug":"greenhouse-gas-emissions"},{"urlSafeValue":"donald-trump","titleRaw":"Donald Trump","id":11900,"title":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump"},{"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","titleRaw":"Venezuela","id":450,"title":"Venezuela","slug":"venezuela"},{"urlSafeValue":"pollution","titleRaw":"Pollution","id":7930,"title":"Pollution","slug":"pollution"},{"urlSafeValue":"fossil-fuels","titleRaw":"Fossil fuels","id":9385,"title":"Fossil fuels","slug":"fossil-fuels"},{"urlSafeValue":"oil","titleRaw":"Oil","id":13222,"title":"Oil","slug":"oil"}],"widgets":[{"count":2,"slug":"image"},{"count":2,"slug":"related"}],"related":[],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"AP","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"Steven Grattan","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"green-news","urlSafeValue":"green-news","title":"Green News","online":0,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/green\/green-news\/green-news"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"green","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"green","id":8,"title":"Green","slug":"green"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":8,"slug":"green","urlSafeValue":"green","title":"Green"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"green-news","id":"green-news","title":"Green News","url":"\/green\/green-news"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":35,"urlSafeValue":"green-news","title":"Green News"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":4392,"urlSafeValue":"america","title":"America"},"country":{"id":298,"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","url":"\/news\/america\/venezuela"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/green\/2026\/01\/12\/why-boosting-production-of-venezuelas-very-dense-very-sloppy-oil-could-harm-the-environmen","lastModified":1768231380},{"id":2860805,"cid":9607153,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"VENEZUELA RELEASES OPPOSITION FIGURES","daletPyramidId":3830194,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Venezuela frees several high-profile opposition figures and activists","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Venezuela frees several high-profile opposition figures and activists","titleListing2":"Venezuela frees several high-profile opposition figures and activists","leadin":"Venezuela released a \"significant number\" of high-profile opposition figures, activists and journalists in a gesture to seek peace, just days after the capture of Nicol\u00e1s Maduro.","summary":"Venezuela released a \"significant number\" of high-profile opposition figures, activists and journalists in a gesture to seek peace, just days after the capture of Nicol\u00e1s Maduro.","keySentence":"","url":"venezuela-frees-several-high-profile-opposition-figures-and-activists","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/01\/09\/venezuela-frees-several-high-profile-opposition-figures-and-activists","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Venezuela released several imprisoned high-profile opposition figures on Thursday in what Caracas described as a gesture to \"seek peace\" less than a week after US forces captured Nicol\u00e1s Maduro in a military operation in Caracas.\n\nIn the interview on Fox News on Thursday night, US President Donald Trump praised the government of acting President Delcy Rodr\u00edguez, saying: \"They've been great ... Everything we've wanted, they've given us.\"\n\nJorge Rodr\u00edguez, brother of the acting president and head of Venezuela's National Assembly, said they would free a \"significant number\" of people.\n\n\"Consider this a gesture by the (Venezuelan) government, which is broadly intended to seek peace,\" Jorge Rodr\u00edguez announced.\n\nThe US government and Venezuela's opposition have long demanded the widespread release of imprisoned politicians, critics and members of civil society, including foreign citizens.\n\nWho was released on Thursday?\n\nAs the news of the release broke on Thursday, families of detainees rushed to prisons across the country, seeking information on their loved ones.\n\nAmong those released was Biagio Pilieri, an opposition leader who was part of Nobel Peace Prize winner Mar\u00eda Corina Machado's 2024 presidential campaign.\n\nAlso freed was Enrique M\u00e1rquez, a former electoral authority and candidate in the 2024 presidential election.\n\nVideos posted by journalists on social media show M\u00e1rquez and Pilieri embracing people on the streets outside the prison.\n\nFive Spanish citizens, including the prominent Venezuelan-Spanish lawyer and human rights activist Roc\u00edo San Miguel, were also released in the afternoon.\n\nFurther reports on Thursday night claimed more detainees were freed.\n\nVenezuela's government has typically released political prisoners at times of tension to signal openness to dialogue. However, Caracas insists it does not hold prisoners for political reasons.\n\nAs of late Thursday night, it was still unclear how many people had been released or whether more would walk free.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Venezuela released several imprisoned high-profile opposition figures on Thursday in what Caracas described as a gesture to \"seek peace\" less than a week after US forces captured Nicol\u00e1s Maduro in a military operation in Caracas.<\/p>\n<p>In the interview on Fox News on Thursday night, US President Donald Trump praised the government of acting President Delcy Rodr\u00edguez, saying: \"They've been great ... Everything we've wanted, they've given us.\"<\/p>\n<p>Jorge Rodr\u00edguez, brother of the acting president and head of Venezuela's National Assembly, said they would free a \"significant number\" of people. <\/p>\n<p>\"Consider this a gesture by the (Venezuelan) government, which is broadly intended to seek peace,\" Jorge Rodr\u00edguez announced.<\/p>\n<p>The US government and Venezuela's opposition have long demanded the widespread release of imprisoned politicians, critics and members of civil society, including foreign citizens. <\/p>\n<h2>Who was released on Thursday?<\/h2>\n<p>As the news of the release broke on Thursday, families of detainees rushed to prisons across the country, seeking information on their loved ones.<\/p>\n<p>Among those released was Biagio Pilieri, an opposition leader who was part of Nobel Peace Prize winner Mar\u00eda Corina Machado's 2024 presidential campaign.<\/p>\n<p>Also freed was Enrique M\u00e1rquez, a former electoral authority and candidate in the 2024 presidential election. <\/p>\n<p>Videos posted by journalists on social media show M\u00e1rquez and Pilieri embracing people on the streets outside the prison. <\/p>\n<p>Five Spanish citizens, including the prominent Venezuelan-Spanish lawyer and human rights activist Roc\u00edo San Miguel, were also released in the afternoon. <\/p>\n<p>Further reports on Thursday night claimed more detainees were freed.<\/p>\n<p>Venezuela's government has typically released political prisoners at times of tension to signal openness to dialogue. However, Caracas insists it does not hold prisoners for political reasons.<\/p>\n<p>As of late Thursday night, it was still unclear how many people had been released or whether more would walk free.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1767940716,"updatedAt":1767954572,"publishedAt":1767948186,"firstPublishedAt":1767948186,"lastPublishedAt":1767948186,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/71\/53\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_2e8011f5-80d4-5897-92aa-559f9b96cb37-9607153.jpg","altText":"Police officers lower a flag at Zone 7 of the Bolivarian National Police, where political detainees are held, in Caracas, 8 January 2026","caption":"Police officers lower a flag at Zone 7 of the Bolivarian National Police, where political detainees are held, in Caracas, 8 January 2026","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1619,"height":910}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":1142,"urlSafeValue":"aktan","title":"Sertac Aktan","twitter":"@sertac_aktan"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":450,"slug":"venezuela","urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","titleRaw":"Venezuela"},{"id":11937,"slug":"political-prisoner","urlSafeValue":"political-prisoner","title":"political prisoner","titleRaw":"political prisoner"},{"id":16820,"slug":"venezuela-crisis","urlSafeValue":"venezuela-crisis","title":"venezuela crisis","titleRaw":"venezuela crisis"}],"widgets":[],"related":[{"id":2860632},{"id":2860728},{"id":2860548}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"BJ8imokOiTc","dailymotionId":"x9xf9f0"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"duration":59560,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":11725482,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/ED\/33\/52\/00\/06\/ED_PYR_3352006_20260109102935.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"md"},{"duration":59560,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":16282962,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/SHD\/33\/52\/00\/06\/SHD_PYR_3352006_20260109102935.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"hd"},{"duration":59560,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":48172414,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/FHD\/33\/52\/00\/06\/FHD_PYR_3352006_20260109102935.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"1080p"}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"AP","additionalReporting":"","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":4392,"urlSafeValue":"america","title":"America"},"country":{"id":298,"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","url":"\/news\/america\/venezuela"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/2026\/01\/09\/venezuela-frees-several-high-profile-opposition-figures-and-activists","lastModified":1767948186},{"id":2860559,"cid":9605978,"versionId":2,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"US WORLDWIDE VENEZUELAN OIL TANKER SEIZURES","daletPyramidId":3819105,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"US plans to 'dictate' Venezuelan oil sales amid further tanker seizures","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"US to 'dictate' Venezuelan oil sales amid further tanker seizures","titleListing2":"US plans to 'dictate' all Venezuelan oil sales amid further tanker seizures","leadin":"Washington announced its control over Venezuela's oil sales after capturing two tankers transporting sanctioned crude and capturing Nicol\u00e1s Maduro.","summary":"Washington announced its control over Venezuela's oil sales after capturing two tankers transporting sanctioned crude and capturing Nicol\u00e1s Maduro.","keySentence":"","url":"us-plans-to-dictate-all-venezuelan-oil-sales-amid-further-tanker-seizures","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/01\/08\/us-plans-to-dictate-all-venezuelan-oil-sales-amid-further-tanker-seizures","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"The White House said Wednesday that Venezuela's interim government decisions will be \"dictated by the United States,\" as Washington seized two oil tankers and announced plans to control all sales of the country's petroleum following the capture of Nicol\u00e1s Maduro.\n\nPress Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Trump administration has \"maximum leverage\" over Venezuela's authorities after Saturday's military operation in Caracas that seized Maduro.\n\n\"We're continuing to be in close coordination with the interim authorities, and their decisions are going to continue to be dictated by the United States of America,\" Leavitt told reporters.\n\nUS forces on Wednesday seized the Marinera, formerly known as Bella 1, in the North Atlantic after a weeks-long pursuit, and the M Sophia in the Caribbean Sea. Both vessels were accused of transporting sanctioned Venezuelan crude.\n\nThe US Energy Department said Washington would oversee all Venezuelan oil shipments worldwide, permitting exports only through approved channels. Sales of 30 million to 50 million barrels will begin immediately, with proceeds held in US-controlled accounts at international banks.\n\nUS Vice President JD Vance said controlling Venezuela's oil would allow Washington to pressure the country \"without wasting a single American life\".\n\n\"We control the energy resources, and we tell the regime, you're allowed to sell the oil so long as you serve America's national interest,\" Vance told Fox News.\n\nMarinera, formerly known as Bella M\n\nThe Coast Guard tracked the Marinera under a federal court warrant after the ship fled when officers attempted to board it on 15 December.\n\nThe vessel was subsequently renamed and reflagged to Russia, with the crew painting a Russian flag on the hull, a US official said.\n\nRussia's Foreign Ministry demanded the crew's swift return home and accused Washington of violating international maritime law.\n\nPrior to the capture, a Russian submarine and other vessels were said to have been escorting the tanker as it fled away from the Caribbean and towards the north Atlantic.\n\nUS Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Justice Department is investigating crew members for failing to obey Coast Guard orders. Washington placed the Marinera on its sanctions list last year over allegations it transported cargo for a Hezbollah-linked entity.\n\nThe UK Ministry of Defence said British forces assisted the operation with reconnaissance aircraft. UK Defence Secretary John Healey accused the vessel of supporting \"a Russian-Iranian axis of sanctions evasion\" funding conflict across multiple regions.\n\nThe M Sophia stopped broadcasting its location in July. Analysts at Windward estimated the tanker carried roughly 1.8 million barrels when it departed Venezuela's Jose Terminal late last month, a cargo valued at approximately $108 million at current prices.\n\nHomeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said both ships were part of a shadow fleet of aging tankers that smuggle oil for sanctioned countries.\n\nCooperation with US 'the only way'\n\nAt least 16 tankers departed Venezuelan waters following Saturday's military action, according to vessel tracking organisation TankerTrackers.com.\n\nSecretary of State Marco Rubio said Venezuelan interim authorities requested that crude from the captured vessels be included in Trump's announced oil transfer agreement.\n\n\"They understand that the only way they can move oil and generate revenue and not have economic collapse is if they cooperate and work with the United States,\" Rubio told reporters after briefing lawmakers.\n\nThe Trump administration plans to authorise imports of oilfield equipment and services to boost Venezuelan production to roughly 1 million barrels per day. Officials said they would invest in the electricity grid to increase output.\n\nVenezuelan state oil company PDVSA said negotiations with Washington would follow existing commercial arrangements with companies including Chevron.\n\nActing President Delcy Rodr\u00edguez said Venezuela would pursue economic relationships across multiple continents, characterising US engagement as standard diplomatic practice.\n\nUS Senator Chris Murphy condemned the strategy after classified briefings on Capitol Hill, calling it \"insane\" and accusing the administration of planning to seize Venezuelan petroleum by force while attempting to run the country from Washington.\n\nTrump will meet US oil executives on Friday to discuss plans for Venezuela's oil sector, Leavitt said.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>The White House said Wednesday that Venezuela's interim government decisions will be \"dictated by the United States,\" as Washington seized two oil tankers and announced plans to control all sales of the country's petroleum following the capture of Nicol\u00e1s Maduro.<\/p>\n<p>Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Trump administration has \"maximum leverage\" over Venezuela's authorities after Saturday's military operation in Caracas that seized Maduro.<\/p>\n<p>\"We're continuing to be in close coordination with the interim authorities, and their decisions are going to continue to be dictated by the United States of America,\" Leavitt told reporters.<\/p>\n<p>US forces on Wednesday seized the Marinera, formerly known as Bella 1, in the North Atlantic after a weeks-long pursuit, and the M Sophia in the Caribbean Sea. Both vessels were accused of transporting sanctioned Venezuelan crude.<\/p>\n<p>The US Energy Department said Washington would oversee all Venezuelan oil shipments worldwide, permitting exports only through approved channels. Sales of 30 million to 50 million barrels will begin immediately, with proceeds held in US-controlled accounts at international banks.<\/p>\n<p>US Vice President JD Vance said controlling Venezuela's oil would allow Washington to pressure the country \"without wasting a single American life\".<\/p>\n<p>\"We control the energy resources, and we tell the regime, you're allowed to sell the oil so long as you serve America's national interest,\" Vance told Fox News.<\/p>\n<h2>Marinera, formerly known as Bella M<\/h2>\n<p>The Coast Guard tracked the Marinera under a federal court warrant after the ship fled when officers attempted to board it on 15 December. <\/p>\n<p>The vessel was subsequently renamed and reflagged to Russia, with the crew painting a Russian flag on the hull, a US official said.<\/p>\n<p>Russia's Foreign Ministry demanded the crew's swift return home and accused Washington of violating international maritime law. <\/p>\n<p>Prior to the capture, a Russian submarine and other vessels were said to have been escorting the tanker as it fled away from the Caribbean and towards the north Atlantic.<\/p>\n<p>US Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Justice Department is investigating crew members for failing to obey Coast Guard orders. Washington placed the Marinera on its sanctions list last year over allegations it transported cargo for a Hezbollah-linked entity.<\/p>\n<p>The UK Ministry of Defence said British forces assisted the operation with reconnaissance aircraft. UK Defence Secretary John Healey accused the vessel of supporting \"a Russian-Iranian axis of sanctions evasion\" funding conflict across multiple regions.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2025//12//31//crew-paints-russian-flag-on-iran-linked-tanker-pursued-by-us/">Crew paints Russian flag on Iran-linked tanker pursued by US<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2026//01//07//us-carrying-out-operation-to-seize-venezuela-linked-oil-tanker-in-atlantic-official-says/">US seizes two more sanctioned oil tankers with links to Venezuela, military says<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>The M Sophia stopped broadcasting its location in July. Analysts at Windward estimated the tanker carried roughly 1.8 million barrels when it departed Venezuela's Jose Terminal late last month, a cargo valued at approximately $108 million at current prices.<\/p>\n<p>Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said both ships were part of a shadow fleet of aging tankers that smuggle oil for sanctioned countries.<\/p>\n<h2>Cooperation with US 'the only way'<\/h2>\n<p>At least 16 tankers departed Venezuelan waters following Saturday's military action, according to vessel tracking organisation TankerTrackers.com.<\/p>\n<p>Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Venezuelan interim authorities requested that crude from the captured vessels be included in Trump's announced oil transfer agreement.<\/p>\n<p>\"They understand that the only way they can move oil and generate revenue and not have economic collapse is if they cooperate and work with the United States,\" Rubio told reporters after briefing lawmakers.<\/p>\n<p>The Trump administration plans to authorise imports of oilfield equipment and services to boost Venezuelan production to roughly 1 million barrels per day. Officials said they would invest in the electricity grid to increase output.<\/p>\n<p>Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA said negotiations with Washington would follow existing commercial arrangements with companies including Chevron.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2026//01//06//from-maduros-tigress-to-venezuelas-interim-president-who-is-delcy-rodriguez/">From Maduro's 'tigress' to Venezuela's interim president: Who is Delcy Rodr\u00edguez?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2026//01//06//as-trump-pitches-venezuelan-oil-dream-for-us-companies-experts-warn-it-wont-be-cheap-or-ea/">As Trump pitches Venezuelan oil dream for US companies, experts warn it won't be cheap or easy<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Acting President Delcy Rodr\u00edguez said Venezuela would pursue economic relationships across multiple continents, characterising US engagement as standard diplomatic practice.<\/p>\n<p>US Senator Chris Murphy condemned the strategy after classified briefings on Capitol Hill, calling it \"insane\" and accusing the administration of planning to seize Venezuelan petroleum by force while attempting to run the country from Washington.<\/p>\n<p>Trump will meet US oil executives on Friday to discuss plans for Venezuela's oil sector, Leavitt said.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1767864819,"updatedAt":1767879263,"publishedAt":1767867492,"firstPublishedAt":1767867492,"lastPublishedAt":1767867665,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","altText":"An oil pump jack stands unused in Cabimas, 7 January 2026","callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"caption":"An oil pump jack stands unused in Cabimas, 7 January 2026","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/59\/78\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_df7cfa7b-98c9-5aa9-aed7-5690944b0213-9605978.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":683}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","titleRaw":"Venezuela","id":450,"title":"Venezuela","slug":"venezuela"},{"urlSafeValue":"oil","titleRaw":"Oil","id":13222,"title":"Oil","slug":"oil"},{"urlSafeValue":"donald-trump","titleRaw":"Donald Trump","id":11900,"title":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump"}],"widgets":[{"count":2,"slug":"related"}],"related":[],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"o_On0dHYOzA","dailymotionId":"x9xcf9w"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"duration":115000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":18657782,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/ED\/33\/43\/16\/09\/ED_PYR_3343169_20260108133424.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"md"},{"duration":115000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":27196490,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/SHD\/33\/43\/16\/09\/SHD_PYR_3343169_20260108133424.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"hd"},{"duration":115000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":89662415,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/FHD\/33\/43\/16\/09\/FHD_PYR_3343169_20260108133424.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"1080p"}],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"AP","additionalReporting":"Euronews","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"news","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":1,"title":"News","slug":"news"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":4392,"urlSafeValue":"america","title":"America"},"country":{"id":298,"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","url":"\/news\/america\/venezuela"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/2026\/01\/08\/us-plans-to-dictate-all-venezuelan-oil-sales-amid-further-tanker-seizures","lastModified":1767867665},{"id":2860329,"cid":9605058,"versionId":2,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"Chenu oped","daletPyramidId":3810019,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Venezuela's sovereignty is not negotiable \u2014 and France should rearm","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Venezuela's sovereignty is not negotiable \u2014 and France should rearm","titleListing2":"Venezuela's sovereignty is not negotiable \u2014 and France should rearm","leadin":"The arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicol\u00e1s Maduro raises serious concerns because sovereignty is non-negotiable, and therefore it is urgent for countries like France to rearm and focus on security, French National Rally MP S\u00e9bastien Chenu writes in an opinion article for Euronews.","summary":"The arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicol\u00e1s Maduro raises serious concerns because sovereignty is non-negotiable, and therefore it is urgent for countries like France to rearm and focus on security, French National Rally MP S\u00e9bastien Chenu writes in an opinion article for Euronews.","keySentence":"","url":"venezuelas-sovereignty-is-not-negotiable-and-france-should-rearm","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/news\/2026\/01\/07\/venezuelas-sovereignty-is-not-negotiable-and-france-should-rearm","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"French poet Jean de La Fontaine wrote in The Wolf and the Lamb that \u201cthe reason of the strongest is always the best.\u201d\n\nWe should harbour no illusions: Nicol\u00e1s Maduro is nothing like a lamb. And accusing Donald Trump of being a wolf, as the left does, is a bit too easy.\n\nThe most serious crises arise when the legality and the legitimacy of an action do not align.\n\nFrom the standpoint of international law, the action undertaken by the United States is illegal. Nevertheless, its legitimacy can be questioned.\n\nMore than the drug trafficking for which Maduro and his wife have just been indicted \u2014and for which they will have to answer before US courts \u2014 the Venezuelan president was above all a tyrant whose downfall delighted millions of people.\n\nThe National Rally has never refrained from denouncing the dictator idolised by a segment of the French left.\n\nBut the arrest of Maduro, in violation of Venezuela\u2019s territorial integrity, cannot fail to raise serious concerns. Concerns, because sovereignty is not negotiable!\n\nFocus on our own interests\n\nWithout sovereignty, there is no state. France knows this well, as its sovereignty has been trampled for decades by a European Union ever more distant from peoples and nations. \"Europe means peace,\" we are told ad nauseam by the euro-enthusiasts.\n\nBut when the sword, more than peace, makes our age tremble, France can rely only on itself. It is urgent to rearm and, first and foremost, to think about our own security.\n\nSecurity and sovereignty can only be ensured through an ambitious defence policy. The increase in our budget in this area \u2014 more than \u20ac6.5 billion in 2026 \u2014 is far too small.\n\nBy way of reminder, in 1960 the share of GDP devoted to defence was 6.1%. This year it is estimated at 2.06%.\n\nWhat do those few billion and those few percentage points amount to in an age as violent as ours, when the whole world is rearming?\n\nBut France is not only familiar with the sword. It also knows the pen. Alongside great captains, it has also produced brilliant diplomats \u2014 men who, throughout history, have succeeded in making France\u2019s singular voice heard on the international stage.\n\nOur seat on the UN Security Council, as well as our nuclear deterrent, must enable us to chart our own course. We must take back the initiative in diplomacy and focus solely on our national interests.\n\nTo paraphrase Charles de Gaulle: France has no friends, it has only interests.\n\nS\u00e9bastien Chenu is a deputy of the French National Assembly for the National Rally party (RN).\n\n","htmlText":"<p>French poet Jean de La Fontaine wrote in The Wolf and the Lamb that \u201cthe reason of the strongest is always the best.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>We should harbour no illusions: Nicol\u00e1s Maduro is nothing like a lamb. And accusing Donald Trump of being a wolf, as the left does, is a bit too easy.<\/p>\n<p>The most serious crises arise when the legality and the legitimacy of an action do not align. <\/p>\n<p>From the standpoint of international law, the action undertaken by the United States is illegal. Nevertheless, its legitimacy can be questioned.<\/p>\n<p>More than the drug trafficking for which Maduro and his wife have just been indicted \u2014and for which they will have to answer before US courts \u2014 the Venezuelan president was above all a tyrant whose downfall delighted millions of people.<\/p>\n<p>The National Rally has never refrained from denouncing the dictator idolised by a segment of the French left. <\/p>\n<p>But the arrest of Maduro, in violation of Venezuela\u2019s territorial integrity, cannot fail to raise serious concerns. Concerns, because sovereignty is not negotiable!<\/p>\n<h2>Focus on our own interests<\/h2>\n<p>Without sovereignty, there is no state. France knows this well, as its sovereignty has been trampled for decades by a European Union ever more distant from peoples and nations. \"Europe means peace,\" we are told ad nauseam by the euro-enthusiasts. <\/p>\n<p>But when the sword, more than peace, makes our age tremble, France can rely only on itself. It is urgent to rearm and, first and foremost, to think about our own security.<\/p>\n<p>Security and sovereignty can only be ensured through an ambitious defence policy. The increase in our budget in this area \u2014 more than \u20ac6.5 billion in 2026 \u2014 is far too small. <\/p>\n<p>By way of reminder, in 1960 the share of GDP devoted to defence was 6.1%. This year it is estimated at 2.06%. <\/p>\n<p>What do those few billion and those few percentage points amount to in an age as violent as ours, when the whole world is rearming?<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2026//01//06//this-is-not-about-venezuela-but-about-trumps-strategy-for-the-world/">This is not about Venezuela, but about Trump\u2019s strategy for the world<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2026//01//05//europe-must-stop-pretending-there-was-ever-a-truly-rules-based-international-order/">Europe must stop pretending there was ever a truly rules-based international order<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>But France is not only familiar with the sword. It also knows the pen. Alongside great captains, it has also produced brilliant diplomats \u2014 men who, throughout history, have succeeded in making France\u2019s singular voice heard on the international stage.<\/p>\n<p>Our seat on the UN Security Council, as well as our nuclear deterrent, must enable us to chart our own course. We must take back the initiative in diplomacy and focus solely on our national interests.<\/p>\n<p>To paraphrase Charles de Gaulle: France has no friends, it has only interests.<\/p>\n<p><em>S\u00e9bastien Chenu is a deputy of the French National Assembly for the National Rally party (RN).<\/em><\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1767784104,"updatedAt":1767789190,"publishedAt":1767788912,"firstPublishedAt":1767788912,"lastPublishedAt":1767789189,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":"https:\/\/newsroom.ap.org\/home\/search?query=Trump%20AND%20Venezuela&mediaType=photo","sourceCredit":"AP","callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","altText":"FILE: A demonstrator waves a Venezuelan flag at a protest against US strikes on Venezuela, outside the US embassy in Nicosia, 5 January 2025","callToActionText":null,"width":1600,"caption":"FILE: A demonstrator waves a Venezuelan flag at a protest against US strikes on Venezuela, outside the US embassy in Nicosia, 5 January 2025","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/50\/58\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_975ef55d-402a-54d0-827d-75415c8a16f5-9605058.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":900}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","titleRaw":"Venezuela","id":450,"title":"Venezuela","slug":"venezuela"},{"urlSafeValue":"france","titleRaw":"France","id":117,"title":"France","slug":"france"},{"urlSafeValue":"united-states","titleRaw":"United States ","id":13363,"title":"United States ","slug":"united-states"},{"urlSafeValue":"euroviews","titleRaw":"Euroviews","id":22480,"title":"Euroviews","slug":"euroviews"}],"widgets":[{"count":1,"slug":"related"}],"related":[{"id":2860114},{"id":2859775}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"S\u00e9bastien Chenu, French National Assembly deputy","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"europe-news","urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","online":0,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/europe-news\/europe-news"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"my-europe","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"my-europe","id":2,"title":"Europe","slug":"my-europe"},{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":1,"title":"News","slug":"news"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":2,"slug":"my-europe","urlSafeValue":"my-europe","title":"Europe"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"europe-news","id":"europe-news","title":"Europe News","url":"\/my-europe\/europe-news"},{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":56,"urlSafeValue":"europe-news","title":"Europe News"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":4392,"urlSafeValue":"america","title":"America"},"country":{"id":298,"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","url":"\/news\/america\/venezuela"},"town":{"id":516,"urlSafeValue":"caracas-venezuela","title":"Caracas, Venezuela"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":1,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/my-europe\/2026\/01\/07\/venezuelas-sovereignty-is-not-negotiable-and-france-should-rearm","lastModified":1767789189},{"id":2860114,"cid":9604118,"versionId":4,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"CUBE MADURO","daletPyramidId":3801683,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":" How an information vacuum about Maduro's capture was filled with deepfakes and AI","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"How an information void about Maduro's capture was filled by deepfakes","titleListing2":" How an information gap on Maduro's capture was filled with deepfakes and AI","leadin":"A real-time flood of AI-generated images and videos of Maduro's capture by US forces on Saturday were re-shared by public figures and garnered millions of views across Europe.","summary":"A real-time flood of AI-generated images and videos of Maduro's capture by US forces on Saturday were re-shared by public figures and garnered millions of views across Europe.","keySentence":"","url":"how-an-information-vacuum-about-maduros-capture-was-filled-with-deepfakes-and-ai","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2026\/01\/07\/how-an-information-vacuum-about-maduros-capture-was-filled-with-deepfakes-and-ai","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Shortly after US President Donald Trump announced a \u201clarge-scale strike\u201d on Venezuela on Saturday, European social media was awash with misleading, AI-generated images of Nicol\u00e1s Maduro\u2019s capture and videos of Venezuelans celebrating around the world.\u00a0\u00a0\n\nAcross TikTok, Instagram and X, AI-generated or altered images, old footage repurposed as new footage and out-of-context videos proliferated.\u00a0\n\nMany racked up millions of views across platforms, and were shared by public figures, including Trump himself, X owner Elon Musk, the son of the former Brazilian president, Fl\u00e1vio Bolsonaro, and the official account of the Portuguese right-wing Chega party in Portugal.\u00a0\n\nSome experts suggested this was one of the first incidents in which AI images of a major public political figure were created in real time as breaking news unfolded.\n\nBut for others, what was unique about this wave of false information was not its scale, but the fact that so many people \u2014 including public figures \u2014 fell for it.\n\nImage created by AI artist floods platforms\u00a0\n\nOn 3 January, US special forces captured the former leader of Venezuela and his wife in a lightning operation. Maduro faces federal drug trafficking charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty.\u00a0\n\nSoon after his capture, multiple images of Maduro appeared across social media channels. Euronews\u2019 fact-checking team, The Cube, found examples of the below image shared in Spanish, Italian, French and Polish.\u00a0\n\nOne picture of Maduro disembarking an aircraft was shared by the official account of Portugal's far-right Chega party, as well as the party's founder Andr\u00e9 Ventura and other party members.\n\nPolish MEP Mariusz Kami\u0144ski from the European Conservatives and Reformists Group reshared the image with the caption \"see @donaldtusk, how dictators end up\", while several online media outlets also presented it as a real photo.\u00a0\n\nAs the image spread rapidly online, fact-checkers noted that when the photo was run through Gemini\u2019s SynthID verification tool, it contained digital watermarks indicating that all or part of the image had been generated or edited with Google AI.\u00a0\n\nAnalysis from Google Gemini found that \u201cmost or all of (the image) was generated or edited with Google AI.\u201d\n\nAccording to Detesia, a German startup that specialises in deepfake detection technology, its AI models found \u201csubstantial evidence\u201d that the image was AI-generated.\u00a0\n\nDetesia said the original photo sparked several similar ones, with a more modest social media reach, that also contained visible SynthID watermark artifacts. Later versions showed obvious signs of AI-generation, including images of soldiers with three hands and pictures depicting Maduro covered in blood.\u00a0\n\nThe image, which is very likely AI-generated, garnered millions of views across social media platforms, including one Spanish X post that had 2.6 million views alone.\n\nAccording to Tal Hagin, an information warfare analyst and media literacy lecturer, rapid advances in AI technology are making the challenge of identifying deepfakes even more challenging.\n\n\u201cWe are no longer at the stage where it's six months away, we are already there: unable to identify what's AI and what's not.\u201d\n\nIn the immediate aftermath of Maduro\u2019s capture, individuals had little details and in particular, no images, \u201cwhen you have this vacuum of information, it needs to be filled somehow\u201d, said Hagin.\n\n\u201cIndividuals started uploading AI-generated images of Maduro in custody of the US Special Forces in order to fill that gap\u201d, he concluded.\n\nAnother image, with more than 4.6 million views, purports to show Maduro sitting in a military cargo plane in white pyjamas.\u00a0\n\nNewsguard, a US-based platform that monitors information reliability, reported that the image shows clear signs of AI-generation, including two rows of passenger seat windows on the alleged aircraft.\n\nVideos of protesters AI edited or taken out of context\u00a0\n\nShortly after false images of Maduro\u2019s arrest circulated, social media platforms were flooded with footage of protesters celebrating his capture.\u00a0\n\nSome of these, including one shared by Musk of Venezuelans crying of joy at amassed more than 5.6 million views. Signs of AI generation include unnatural human movements, skin tones and abnormal licence plates on car.\u00a0\n\nDispatches from Venezuela indicate the public mood is complex, with a category of the population expressing joy and hope at Maduro\u2019s capture, as well as fear and uncertainty of what a transition of power may look like.\u00a0Others have condemned the US' intervention in their country.\n\nMultiple videos have appeared with misleading captions on protest videos. One video shared on X which amassed more than 1 million views was shared on 4 January with the caption \u201cthis is Caracas today. Huge crowds in support of Maduro.\u201d\n\nIn reality, this video is from a march which Maduro and his youth supporters took part in at the Miraflores Palace in Caracas in November 2025.\u00a0\n\nAnother video widely shared on French- language X shows a man on a balcony holding a phone up to a crowd of people with the caption, \u201cI've rarely seen a people as happy as the Venezuelans to finally be rid of Maduro thanks to American intervention.\u201d Fireworks can be seen in the background.\u00a0\n\nHagin says there are several indicators that cast doubt on the video\u2019s authenticity, including that the fireworks appear to be coming from within the crowd and are not producing an appropriate level of smoke. The image displayed on phone also does not match the crowd below.\u00a0\n\nThe danger of this volume of AI-generated footage, according to Hagin, is that it creates a false sense of a track record in people\u2019s minds, \u201cif I\u2019ve seen five different examples of Maduro in custody in different outfits \u2014 it must all be fake.\u201d\n\n\u201cThere are videos that are 100% real, with absolutely no reason to doubt them, and people still say they\u2019re AI because they don\u2019t want them to be true,\u201d Hagin said.\n\n\u201cIt takes time to verify information, ensure that you\u2019re correct in what you\u2019re saying, and while you\u2019re fiddling around trying to verify this video, people are churning out more and more misinformation onto a platform.\u201d\n\nFalse claims spread about US striking Chavez\u2019s residence\u00a0\n\nIn addition to misleading visuals, false claims that US forces struck former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez\u2019s mausoleum have proliferated online in multiple languages \u2014 and were even shared by Colombian President Gustavo Petro.\u00a0\n\nOne purports to show the mausoleum bombed by the US military during its capture operation.\n\nHowever, as noted by Hagin, the photo on the right is an AI-manipulated image based on a real photo of the mausoleum from 2013, with the destruction artificially added.\u00a0\n\nThe Hugo Chavez Foundation itself posted a video on Instagram on Monday showing the building intact with a video of a phone showing the date as Sunday.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Shortly after US President Donald Trump announced a \u201clarge-scale strike\u201d on Venezuela on Saturday, European social media was awash with misleading, AI-generated images of Nicol\u00e1s Maduro\u2019s capture and videos of Venezuelans celebrating around the world. <\/p>\n<p>Across TikTok, Instagram and X, AI-generated or altered images, old footage repurposed as new footage and out-of-context videos proliferated. <\/p>\n<p>Many racked up millions of views across platforms, and were shared by public figures, including Trump himself, X owner Elon Musk, the son of the former Brazilian president, Fl\u00e1vio Bolsonaro, and the official account of the Portuguese right-wing Chega party in Portugal. <\/p>\n<p>Some experts<a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////x.com//RobertaSBraga//status//2008545448047652883/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>suggested this was one of the first incidents<\/strong><\/a> in which AI images of a major public political figure were created in real time as breaking news unfolded.<\/p>\n<p>But for others, what was unique about this wave of false information was not its scale, but the fact that so many people \u2014 including public figures \u2014 fell for it. <\/p>\n<h2><strong>Image created by AI artist floods platforms<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>On 3 January, US special forces captured the former leader of Venezuela and his wife in a lightning operation. Maduro faces federal drug trafficking charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty. <\/p>\n<p>Soon after his capture, multiple images of Maduro appeared across social media channels. Euronews\u2019 fact-checking team, The Cube, found examples of the below image shared in Spanish, Italian, French and Polish. <\/p>\n<p>One picture of Maduro disembarking an aircraft was <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////archive.ph//eIQpT/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>shared by the official account<\/strong><\/a> of Portugal's far-right Chega party, as well as the party's founder Andr\u00e9 Ventura and other party members. <\/p>\n<p>Polish MEP Mariusz Kami\u0144ski from theEuropean Conservatives and Reformists Group <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////x.com//Kaminski_M_//status//2007427542710370762?s=20\%22 target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>reshared<\/strong> <\/a>the image with the caption \"see @donaldtusk, how dictators end up\", while several online media outlets also presented it as a real photo. <\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.5625\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//60//41//18//808x454_cmsv2_6606b516-95f9-5749-9965-6c3f2e71c9f7-9604118.jpg/" alt=\"AI image of Maduro supposedly led US military members goes viral. \" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/384x216_cmsv2_6606b516-95f9-5749-9965-6c3f2e71c9f7-9604118.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/640x360_cmsv2_6606b516-95f9-5749-9965-6c3f2e71c9f7-9604118.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/750x422_cmsv2_6606b516-95f9-5749-9965-6c3f2e71c9f7-9604118.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/828x466_cmsv2_6606b516-95f9-5749-9965-6c3f2e71c9f7-9604118.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/1080x608_cmsv2_6606b516-95f9-5749-9965-6c3f2e71c9f7-9604118.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/1200x675_cmsv2_6606b516-95f9-5749-9965-6c3f2e71c9f7-9604118.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/1920x1080_cmsv2_6606b516-95f9-5749-9965-6c3f2e71c9f7-9604118.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">AI image of Maduro supposedly led US military members goes viral. <\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">@TommyShelby_30<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>As the image spread rapidly online, <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////x.com//DavidPuente//status//2007412078970077228/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>fact-checkers noted that<\/strong> <\/a>when the photo was run through Gemini\u2019s SynthID verification tool, it contained digital watermarks indicating that all or part of the image had been generated or edited with Google AI. <\/p>\n<p>Analysis from Google Gemini found that \u201cmost or all of (the image) was generated or edited with Google AI.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to Detesia, a German startup that specialises in deepfake detection technology, its AI models found \u201csubstantial evidence\u201d that the image was AI-generated. <\/p>\n<p>Detesia said the original photo sparked several similar ones, with a more modest social media reach, that also contained visible SynthID watermark artifacts. Later versions showed obvious signs of AI-generation, including images of soldiers with three hands and pictures depicting Maduro covered in blood. <\/p>\n<p>The image, which is very likely AI-generated, garnered millions of views across social media platforms, including one Spanish X post that had 2.6 million views alone. <\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-tweet widget--size-fullwidth widget--align-center\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio\u2014auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <div class=\"widget__tweet\" data-tweet-id=\"2007398137275789562\"><\/div>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>According to Tal Hagin, an information warfare analyst and media literacy lecturer, rapid advances in AI technology are making the challenge of identifying deepfakes even more challenging. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are no longer at the stage where it's six months away, we are already there: unable to identify what's AI and what's not.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In the immediate aftermath of Maduro\u2019s capture, individuals had little details and in particular, no images, \u201cwhen you have this vacuum of information, it needs to be filled somehow\u201d, said Hagin. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIndividuals started uploading AI-generated images of Maduro in custody of the US Special Forces in order to fill that gap\u201d, he concluded. <\/p>\n<p>Another image, with more than 4.6 million views, purports to show Maduro sitting in a military cargo plane in white pyjamas. <\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.5625\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//60//41//18//808x454_cmsv2_ad68c4fb-db96-5df7-9a1b-11e69e047f36-9604118.jpg/" alt=\"Photo claims to show Maduro in custody on a plane after being captured. \" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/384x216_cmsv2_ad68c4fb-db96-5df7-9a1b-11e69e047f36-9604118.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/640x360_cmsv2_ad68c4fb-db96-5df7-9a1b-11e69e047f36-9604118.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/750x422_cmsv2_ad68c4fb-db96-5df7-9a1b-11e69e047f36-9604118.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/828x466_cmsv2_ad68c4fb-db96-5df7-9a1b-11e69e047f36-9604118.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/1080x608_cmsv2_ad68c4fb-db96-5df7-9a1b-11e69e047f36-9604118.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/1200x675_cmsv2_ad68c4fb-db96-5df7-9a1b-11e69e047f36-9604118.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/1920x1080_cmsv2_ad68c4fb-db96-5df7-9a1b-11e69e047f36-9604118.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Photo claims to show Maduro in custody on a plane after being captured. <\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">@codiguillos<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Newsguard, a US-based platform that monitors information reliability, reported that the image shows clear signs of AI-generation, including two rows of passenger seat windows on the alleged aircraft. <\/p>\n<h2><strong>Videos of protesters AI edited or taken out of context<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Shortly after false images of Maduro\u2019s arrest circulated, social media platforms were flooded with footage of protesters celebrating his capture. <\/p>\n<p>Some of these, <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////x.com//wallstreetapes//status//2007586063876010289?s=46&t=0zopIpI3c%5FKqjWZtFZf9Kg\%22 target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>including one shared by Musk<\/strong><\/a> of Venezuelans crying of joy at amassed more than 5.6 million views. Signs of AI generation include unnatural human movements, skin tones and abnormal licence plates on car. <\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.5625\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//60//41//18//808x454_cmsv2_1877526e-5178-53b3-8128-844147f919aa-9604118.jpg/" alt=\"Widely shared video showing Venezuelans crying with gratitude for the US shows signs of AI influence. \" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/384x216_cmsv2_1877526e-5178-53b3-8128-844147f919aa-9604118.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/640x360_cmsv2_1877526e-5178-53b3-8128-844147f919aa-9604118.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/750x422_cmsv2_1877526e-5178-53b3-8128-844147f919aa-9604118.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/828x466_cmsv2_1877526e-5178-53b3-8128-844147f919aa-9604118.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/1080x608_cmsv2_1877526e-5178-53b3-8128-844147f919aa-9604118.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/1200x675_cmsv2_1877526e-5178-53b3-8128-844147f919aa-9604118.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/1920x1080_cmsv2_1877526e-5178-53b3-8128-844147f919aa-9604118.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Widely shared video showing Venezuelans crying with gratitude for the US shows signs of AI influence. <\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">@WallStreetApes<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Dispatches from Venezuela indicate the public mood is complex, with a category of the population expressing joy and hope at Maduro\u2019s capture, as well as fear and uncertainty of what a transition of power may look like. Others have condemned the US' intervention in their country. <\/p>\n<p>Multiple videos have appeared with misleading captions on protest videos. One video shared on X which amassed more than 1 million views was shared on 4 January with the caption \u201cthis is Caracas today. Huge crowds in support of Maduro.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In reality, this video is from a march which Maduro and his youth supporters took part in at the Miraflores Palace in Caracas in November 2025. <\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-tweet widget--size-fullwidth widget--align-center\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio\u2014auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <div class=\"widget__tweet\" data-tweet-id=\"2007879065483760035\"><\/div>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Another video widely shared on French- language X shows a man on a balcony holding a phone up to a crowd of people with the caption, \u201cI've rarely seen a people as happy as the Venezuelans to finally be rid of Maduro thanks to American intervention.\u201d Fireworks can be seen in the background. <\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-medium widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"1.81625\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//60//41//18//404x735_cmsv2_7a1db803-4fe8-548e-80a8-49d53039f65a-9604118.jpg/" alt=\"Video showing protesters celebrating with fireworks shows signs of being fake. \" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/384x697_cmsv2_7a1db803-4fe8-548e-80a8-49d53039f65a-9604118.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/640x1162_cmsv2_7a1db803-4fe8-548e-80a8-49d53039f65a-9604118.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/750x1362_cmsv2_7a1db803-4fe8-548e-80a8-49d53039f65a-9604118.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/828x1504_cmsv2_7a1db803-4fe8-548e-80a8-49d53039f65a-9604118.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/1080x1962_cmsv2_7a1db803-4fe8-548e-80a8-49d53039f65a-9604118.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/1200x2180_cmsv2_7a1db803-4fe8-548e-80a8-49d53039f65a-9604118.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/1920x3487_cmsv2_7a1db803-4fe8-548e-80a8-49d53039f65a-9604118.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 30vw, 370px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Video showing protesters celebrating with fireworks shows signs of being fake. <\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">@lucquebec<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Hagin says there are several indicators that cast doubt on the video\u2019s authenticity, including that the fireworks appear to be coming from within the crowd and are not producing an appropriate level of smoke. The image displayed on phone also does not match the crowd below. <\/p>\n<p>The danger of this volume of AI-generated footage, according to Hagin, is that it creates a false sense of a track record in people\u2019s minds, \u201cif I\u2019ve seen five different examples of Maduro in custody in different outfits \u2014 it must all be fake.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere are videos that are 100% real, with absolutely no reason to doubt them, and people still say they\u2019re AI because they don\u2019t want them to be true,\u201d Hagin said. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt takes time to verify information, ensure that you\u2019re correct in what you\u2019re saying, and while you\u2019re fiddling around trying to verify this video, people are churning out more and more misinformation onto a platform.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>False claims spread about US striking Chavez\u2019s residence<\/h2>\n<p>In addition to misleading visuals, false claims that US forces struck former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez\u2019s mausoleum have proliferated online in multiple languages \u2014 and were even shared by Colombian President Gustavo Petro. <\/p>\n<p>One purports to show the mausoleum bombed by the US military during its capture operation. <\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-tweet widget--size-fullwidth widget--align-center\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio\u2014auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <div class=\"widget__tweet\" data-tweet-id=\"2008182438992789759\"><\/div>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>However, as noted by Hagin, the photo on the right is an AI-manipulated image based on a real photo of the mausoleum from 2013, with the destruction artificially added. <\/p>\n<p>The Hugo Chavez Foundation itself posted a video on Instagram on Monday showing the building intact with a video of a phone showing the date as Sunday.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1767710429,"updatedAt":1767890284,"publishedAt":1767783005,"firstPublishedAt":1767783005,"lastPublishedAt":1767890283,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"@TommyShelby_30","altText":"Widely shared photo claiming to show Maduro and US forces is AI-generated.","callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"caption":"Widely shared photo claiming to show Maduro and US forces is AI-generated.","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_6606b516-95f9-5749-9965-6c3f2e71c9f7-9604118.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1080},{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"@lucquebec","altText":"Video showing protesters celebrating with fireworks shows signs of being fake. ","callToActionText":null,"width":800,"caption":"Video showing protesters celebrating with fireworks shows signs of being fake. ","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_7a1db803-4fe8-548e-80a8-49d53039f65a-9604118.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1453},{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"@codiguillos","altText":"Photo claims to show Maduro in custody on a plane after being captured. ","callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"caption":"Photo claims to show Maduro in custody on a plane after being captured. ","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_ad68c4fb-db96-5df7-9a1b-11e69e047f36-9604118.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1080},{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"@WallStreetApes","altText":"Widely shared video showing Venezuelans crying with gratitude for the US shows signs of AI influence. ","callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"caption":"Widely shared video showing Venezuelans crying with gratitude for the US shows signs of AI influence. ","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_1877526e-5178-53b3-8128-844147f919aa-9604118.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1080},{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"@TommyShelby_30","altText":"Widely shared photo claiming to show Maduro and US forces is AI-generated.","callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"caption":"Widely shared photo claiming to show Maduro and US forces is AI-generated.","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/41\/18\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_6606b516-95f9-5749-9965-6c3f2e71c9f7-9604118.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1080}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"paternoster","twitter":null,"id":2940,"title":"Tamsin Paternoster"},{"urlSafeValue":"nilsson","twitter":null,"id":2662,"title":"Estelle Nilsson-Julien"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","titleRaw":"Venezuela","id":450,"title":"Venezuela","slug":"venezuela"},{"urlSafeValue":"thecube","titleRaw":"TheCube","id":15332,"title":"TheCube","slug":"thecube"},{"urlSafeValue":"protestas","titleRaw":"Protests","id":27110,"title":"Protests","slug":"protestas"},{"urlSafeValue":"donald-trump","titleRaw":"Donald Trump","id":11900,"title":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump"},{"urlSafeValue":"nicolas-maduro","titleRaw":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro","id":11588,"title":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro","slug":"nicolas-maduro"}],"widgets":[{"count":4,"slug":"image"},{"count":3,"slug":"twitter"}],"related":[{"id":2859798},{"id":2859988}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"5r-DUgW2CYw","dailymotionId":"x9xbty8"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"duration":109720,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":17816851,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/ED\/33\/38\/48\/03\/ED_PYR_3338483_20260108085247.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"md"},{"duration":109720,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":26015647,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/SHD\/33\/38\/48\/03\/SHD_PYR_3338483_20260108085247.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"hd"},{"duration":109720,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":84745851,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/FHD\/33\/38\/48\/03\/FHD_PYR_3338483_20260108085247.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"1080p"}],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"the-cube","urlSafeValue":"the-cube","title":"The 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Decoded"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":4392,"urlSafeValue":"america","title":"America"},"country":{"id":298,"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","url":"\/news\/america\/venezuela"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/my-europe\/2026\/01\/07\/how-an-information-vacuum-about-maduros-capture-was-filled-with-deepfakes-and-ai","lastModified":1767890283},{"id":2860183,"cid":9604441,"versionId":2,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"VENEZUELA SECURITY FORCES DEATHS","daletPyramidId":3804876,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"At least 24 Venezuelan security officers killed in US operation to seize Maduro, Caracas says","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"At least 24 Venezuelan security killed in US operation to seize Maduro","titleListing2":"At least 24 Venezuelan security officers killed in US operation to seize Maduro, Caracas says","leadin":"The death toll for Venezuelan security officials comes after Cuba\u2019s government on Sunday announced that 32 Cuban military and police officers working in Venezuela had also been killed.","summary":"The death toll for Venezuelan security officials comes after Cuba\u2019s government on Sunday announced that 32 Cuban military and police officers working in Venezuela had also been killed.","keySentence":"","url":"at-least-24-venezuelan-security-officers-killed-in-us-operation-to-seize-maduro-caracas-sa","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/01\/06\/at-least-24-venezuelan-security-officers-killed-in-us-operation-to-seize-maduro-caracas-sa","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"At least 24 Venezuelan security officers were killed in the overnight US military operation that led to the capture\u00a0of President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, officials in Venezuela said on Tuesday.\n\nVenezuela's Attorney General Tarek William Saab said \"dozens\" of officials and civilians were killed and that prosecutors would investigate the deaths in what he described as a \"war crime.\"\n\nHe didn't specify if the estimate was specifically referring to Venezuelans.\n\nThe death toll for Venezuelan security officials comes after Cuba's government on Sunday announced that 32 Cuban military and police officers working in Venezuela had been killed in the operation, prompting two days of mourning on the Caribbean island.\n\nA video tribute to the slain Venezuelan security officials posted to the military's Instagram account features faces of many of those killed over black-and-white videos of soldiers, American aircraft flying over Caracas and armoured vehicles destroyed by the blasts.\n\n\"Their spilled blood does not cry out for vengeance, but for justice and strength,\" the military wrote in an Instagram post.\n\n\"It reaffirms our unwavering oath not to rest until we rescue our legitimate President, completely dismantle the terrorist groups operating from abroad, and ensure that events such as these never again sully our sovereign soil.\"\n\nTrump fends off criticism\n\nMeanwhile, US President Donald Trump pushed back against Democratic criticism of this weekend's military operation on Tuesday, noting that his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden had also called for the arrest of Maduro on drug trafficking charges.\n\nTrump in remarks before a House Republican retreat in Washington grumbled that Democrats were not giving him credit for a successful military operation that led to the ouster of Maduro, even though there was bipartisan agreement that he was not the legitimate president of Venezuela.\n\n\"You know, at some point, they should say, 'You know, you did a great job. Thank you. Congratulations.' Wouldn't it be good?\" Trump said.\n\n\"I would say that if they did a good job, their philosophies are so different. But if they did a good job, I\u2019d be happy for the country. They've been after this guy for years and years and years.\"\n\nIn 2020, Maduro was indicted in the United States, accused in a decades-long narco-terrorism and international cocaine trafficking conspiracy.\n\nWhite House officials have noted that Biden's administration in his final days in office last year\u00a0raised the award\u00a0for information leading to Maduro's arrest after he assumed a third term in office despite evidence suggesting that he lost Venezuela\u2019s most recent election.\n\nThe Trump administration doubled the award to $50 million (\u20ac42 million) in August.\n\nMaduro pleaded not guilty to drugs charges in his first appearance in a US court on Monday, saying, \"I am not guilty of anything that is mentioned here.\"\n\nMaduro appeared alongside his wife Cilia Flores who also entered a not guilty plea on similar charges, telling the court she was \"completely innocent.\"\n\nA 25-page indictment made public on Saturday accuses Maduro and others of working with drug cartels to facilitate the shipment of thousands of tonnes of cocaine into the US. They could face life in prison if convicted.\n\nHe and his spouse have been under US sanctions for years, making it illegal for any US citizen to take money from them without first securing a licence from the Treasury Department.\n\nWhile the indictment against Maduro says Venezuelan officials worked directly with the Tren de Aragua gang, a US intelligence assessment published in April, drawing on input from the intelligence community's 18 agencies, found no coordination between Tren de Aragua and the Caracas regime.\n\nThe judge Alvin Hellerstein ordered both to remain behind bars and set a new hearing date of 17 March.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>At least 24 Venezuelan security officers were killed in the overnight US military operation that led to the capture of President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, officials in Venezuela said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>Venezuela's Attorney General Tarek William Saab said \"dozens\" of officials and civilians were killed and that prosecutors would investigate the deaths in what he described as a \"war crime.\"<\/p>\n<p>He didn't specify if the estimate was specifically referring to Venezuelans.<\/p>\n<p>The death toll for Venezuelan security officials comes after Cuba's government on Sunday announced that 32 Cuban military and police officers working in Venezuela had been killed in the operation, prompting two days of mourning on the Caribbean island.<\/p>\n<p>A video tribute to the slain Venezuelan security officials posted to the military's Instagram account features faces of many of those killed over black-and-white videos of soldiers, American aircraft flying over Caracas and armoured vehicles destroyed by the blasts.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.666\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//60//44//41//808x539_cmsv2_0d2c9ef5-eaa0-5a33-8993-d6705cac65b8-9604441.jpg/" alt=\"Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab gives a press conference in Caracas, 6 January, 2026\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/44\/41\/384x256_cmsv2_0d2c9ef5-eaa0-5a33-8993-d6705cac65b8-9604441.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/44\/41\/640x426_cmsv2_0d2c9ef5-eaa0-5a33-8993-d6705cac65b8-9604441.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/44\/41\/750x500_cmsv2_0d2c9ef5-eaa0-5a33-8993-d6705cac65b8-9604441.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/44\/41\/828x551_cmsv2_0d2c9ef5-eaa0-5a33-8993-d6705cac65b8-9604441.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/44\/41\/1080x719_cmsv2_0d2c9ef5-eaa0-5a33-8993-d6705cac65b8-9604441.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/44\/41\/1200x799_cmsv2_0d2c9ef5-eaa0-5a33-8993-d6705cac65b8-9604441.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/44\/41\/1920x1279_cmsv2_0d2c9ef5-eaa0-5a33-8993-d6705cac65b8-9604441.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab gives a press conference in Caracas, 6 January, 2026<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>\"Their spilled blood does not cry out for vengeance, but for justice and strength,\" the military wrote in an Instagram post.<\/p>\n<p>\"It reaffirms our unwavering oath not to rest until we rescue our legitimate President, completely dismantle the terrorist groups operating from abroad, and ensure that events such as these never again sully our sovereign soil.\"<\/p>\n<h2>Trump fends off criticism<\/h2>\n<p>Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump pushed back against Democratic criticism of this weekend's military operation on Tuesday, noting that his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden had also called for the arrest of Maduro on drug trafficking charges.<\/p>\n<p>Trump in remarks before a House Republican retreat in Washington grumbled that Democrats were not giving him credit for a successful military operation that led to the ouster of Maduro, even though there was bipartisan agreement that he was not the legitimate president of Venezuela.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//60//44//41//808x539_cmsv2_ed2f9647-9ff2-535b-98ca-f992e2f22d19-9604441.jpg/" alt=\"US President Donald Trump speaks to House Republican lawmakers during their annual policy retreat in Washington, 6 January, 2026\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/44\/41\/384x256_cmsv2_ed2f9647-9ff2-535b-98ca-f992e2f22d19-9604441.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/44\/41\/640x427_cmsv2_ed2f9647-9ff2-535b-98ca-f992e2f22d19-9604441.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/44\/41\/750x500_cmsv2_ed2f9647-9ff2-535b-98ca-f992e2f22d19-9604441.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/44\/41\/828x552_cmsv2_ed2f9647-9ff2-535b-98ca-f992e2f22d19-9604441.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/44\/41\/1080x720_cmsv2_ed2f9647-9ff2-535b-98ca-f992e2f22d19-9604441.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/44\/41\/1200x800_cmsv2_ed2f9647-9ff2-535b-98ca-f992e2f22d19-9604441.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/44\/41\/1920x1280_cmsv2_ed2f9647-9ff2-535b-98ca-f992e2f22d19-9604441.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">US President Donald Trump speaks to House Republican lawmakers during their annual policy retreat in Washington, 6 January, 2026<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>\"You know, at some point, they should say, 'You know, you did a great job. Thank you. Congratulations.' Wouldn't it be good?\" Trump said.<\/p>\n<p>\"I would say that if they did a good job, their philosophies are so different. But if they did a good job, I\u2019d be happy for the country. They've been after this guy for years and years and years.\"<\/p>\n<p>In 2020, Maduro was indicted in the United States, accused in a decades-long narco-terrorism and international cocaine trafficking conspiracy.<\/p>\n<p>White House officials have noted that Biden's administration in his final days in office last year raised the award for information leading to Maduro's arrest after he assumed a third term in office despite evidence suggesting that he lost Venezuela\u2019s most recent election.<\/p>\n<p>The Trump administration doubled the award to $50 million (\u20ac42 million) in August.<\/p>\n<p>Maduro pleaded not guilty to drugs charges in his first appearance in a US court on Monday, saying, \"I am not guilty of anything that is mentioned here.\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.5855\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//60//39//57//808x473_cmsv2_f470a761-7299-528c-8ec0-591f55884f8e-9603957.jpg/" alt=\"In this courtroom sketch Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores appear in Manhattan federal court, 5 January, 2026\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/39\/57\/384x225_cmsv2_f470a761-7299-528c-8ec0-591f55884f8e-9603957.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/39\/57\/640x375_cmsv2_f470a761-7299-528c-8ec0-591f55884f8e-9603957.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/39\/57\/750x439_cmsv2_f470a761-7299-528c-8ec0-591f55884f8e-9603957.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/39\/57\/828x485_cmsv2_f470a761-7299-528c-8ec0-591f55884f8e-9603957.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/39\/57\/1080x632_cmsv2_f470a761-7299-528c-8ec0-591f55884f8e-9603957.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/39\/57\/1200x703_cmsv2_f470a761-7299-528c-8ec0-591f55884f8e-9603957.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/39\/57\/1920x1124_cmsv2_f470a761-7299-528c-8ec0-591f55884f8e-9603957.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">In this courtroom sketch Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores appear in Manhattan federal court, 5 January, 2026<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Maduro appeared alongside his wife Cilia Flores who also entered a not guilty plea on similar charges, telling the court she was \"completely innocent.\"<\/p>\n<p>A 25-page indictment made public on Saturday accuses Maduro and others of working with drug cartels to facilitate the shipment of thousands of tonnes of cocaine into the US. They could face life in prison if convicted.<\/p>\n<p>He and his spouse have been under US sanctions for years, making it illegal for any US citizen to take money from them without first securing a licence from the Treasury Department.<\/p>\n<p>While the indictment against Maduro says Venezuelan officials worked directly with the Tren de Aragua gang, a US intelligence assessment published in April, drawing on input from the intelligence community's 18 agencies, found no coordination between Tren de Aragua and the Caracas regime.<\/p>\n<p>The judge Alvin Hellerstein ordered both to remain behind bars and set a new hearing date of 17 March.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1767727909,"updatedAt":1768225489,"publishedAt":1767729926,"firstPublishedAt":1767729926,"lastPublishedAt":1768225489,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","altText":"A government supporter holds an image of President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro during a women's march to demand his return in Caracas, 6 January, 2026","callToActionText":null,"width":1620,"caption":"A government supporter holds an image of President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro during a women's march to demand his return in Caracas, 6 January, 2026","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/44\/41\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_dcd3a095-ad57-5e1a-9105-4c44e80846a6-9604441.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":911},{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","altText":"Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab gives a press conference in Caracas, 6 January, 2026","callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"caption":"Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab gives a press conference in Caracas, 6 January, 2026","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/44\/41\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_0d2c9ef5-eaa0-5a33-8993-d6705cac65b8-9604441.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1332},{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","altText":"US President Donald Trump speaks to House Republican lawmakers during their annual policy retreat in Washington, 6 January, 2026","callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"caption":"US President Donald Trump speaks to House Republican lawmakers during their annual policy retreat in Washington, 6 January, 2026","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/44\/41\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_ed2f9647-9ff2-535b-98ca-f992e2f22d19-9604441.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1333},{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","altText":"In this courtroom sketch Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores appear in Manhattan federal court, 5 January, 2026","callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"caption":"In this courtroom sketch Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores appear in Manhattan federal court, 5 January, 2026","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/39\/57\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_f470a761-7299-528c-8ec0-591f55884f8e-9603957.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1171}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"blackburn","twitter":null,"id":2972,"title":"Gavin Blackburn"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","titleRaw":"Venezuela","id":450,"title":"Venezuela","slug":"venezuela"},{"urlSafeValue":"nicolas-maduro","titleRaw":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro","id":11588,"title":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro","slug":"nicolas-maduro"},{"urlSafeValue":"cuba","titleRaw":"Cuba","id":63,"title":"Cuba","slug":"cuba"},{"urlSafeValue":"united-states","titleRaw":"United States ","id":13363,"title":"United States ","slug":"united-states"},{"urlSafeValue":"donald-trump","titleRaw":"Donald Trump","id":11900,"title":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump"},{"urlSafeValue":"military-forces","titleRaw":"military forces","id":26602,"title":"military forces","slug":"military-forces"}],"widgets":[{"count":3,"slug":"image"}],"related":[{"id":2859807},{"id":2860241}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"AP","additionalReporting":"","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"news","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":1,"title":"News","slug":"news"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":4392,"urlSafeValue":"america","title":"America"},"country":{"id":298,"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","url":"\/news\/america\/venezuela"},"town":{"id":516,"urlSafeValue":"caracas-venezuela","title":"Caracas, Venezuela"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/2026\/01\/06\/at-least-24-venezuelan-security-officers-killed-in-us-operation-to-seize-maduro-caracas-sa","lastModified":1768225489},{"id":2859798,"cid":9602669,"versionId":3,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"TRUMP VENEZUELA OIL","daletPyramidId":3785076,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"As Trump pitches Venezuelan oil dream for US companies, experts warn it won't be cheap or easy","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"As Trump pitches Venezuelan oil dream, experts warn it won't be easy","titleListing2":"As Trump pitches Venezuelan oil dream for US companies, experts warn it won't be cheap or easy. US oil majors signal caution.","leadin":"President Trump has set his sights on Venezuela's vast oil reserves, the largest in the world. If consolidated under Washington\u2019s influence, about one third of global oil reserves could end up under US control. Yet, experts are skeptical about Trump's plans, saying it won't be cheap or easy.","summary":"President Trump has set his sights on Venezuela's vast oil reserves, the largest in the world. If consolidated under Washington\u2019s influence, about one third of global oil reserves could end up under US control. Yet, experts are skeptical about Trump's plans, saying it won't be cheap or easy.","keySentence":"","url":"as-trump-pitches-venezuelan-oil-dream-for-us-companies-experts-warn-it-wont-be-cheap-or-ea","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/01\/06\/as-trump-pitches-venezuelan-oil-dream-for-us-companies-experts-warn-it-wont-be-cheap-or-ea","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"US President Donald Trump has said he wants to run Venezuela \u201cthrough oil\u201d and pointed to billions of dollars in profit for US companies - but what does that mean in practical terms? The answer is far from clear, and experts point to considerable logistical hurdles.\n\nFor starters, the idea of running a country through oil does not answer fundamental points such as: Who will run the daily business? Will the Chavista regime cooperate? And will US companies - and perhaps even US taxpayer money - underwrite an enormous investment overhauling the country's vast, but outdated extraction facilities?\n\nFor the time being, Trump has not offered any details even as he doubled down on the idea that the US stands to benefit and companies have expressed \"huge interest.\"\n\nFor the US president, energy is power and Venezuela holds the key to the world's largest confirmed oil reserves. In Trump's thinking, that will hand Washington extra leverage in geopolitical terms and cement its status as superpower in the region and beyond.\n\nAnd he may have a point:\n\nAccording to analysts at US investment banking giant Goldman Sachs, combined oil reserves from Venezuela, neighbouring Guyana, where US companies are deeply involved, and the US could give the United States about 30% of global oil reserves.\n\nGoldman Sachs estimates that oil production could rise dramatically under US influence to 1.4 million barrels per day - from its current production of 0.8 million barrels per day - within two years and reach 2.5 million barrels per day within a decade.\n\n\"We maintain our view that regime change in Venezuela would immediately represent one of the largest upside risks to the global oil supply for 2026 and 2027,\" the bank said in a note published Monday. \"The shift could give the US greater influence over oil markets (...) and reshape the balance of power in international energy markets.\"\n\nBut first, US companies would have to go in and foot the cost of reviving its industry.\n\nAnd the Venezuelan interim authorities - which have often condemned US imperialism - would have to collaborate and the international community agree to what may end up looking like the expropriation of another nation's strategic resources.\n\nChevron is the only major US oil company operating in Venezuela under a special license.\n\nStill, the US president seems to believe he can bypass those obstacles. In a press conference, he suggested US companies had already expressed their interest, without providing specifics, and insisted that they stand to make billions if they do.\n\nHe also floated a financial reimbursed for their investment as an incentive.\n\n\u201cThey will be reimbursed for what they\u2019re doing,\u201d Trump said. \u201cWe\u2019ll be selling large amounts of oil to other countries, many of whom are using it now, but I would say many more will come.\"\n\nVenezuela, a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), holds the largest proven oil reserves in the world: about 17% or 3.3 billion barrels, ahead of OPEC behemoth Saudi Arabia, according to the London-based Energy Institute.\n\nFor Chevron, which has been operating is the country for almost a century, Venezuela is a market they know well and has remained a profitable operation, but that is not the case other US companies like Exxon Mobil, which exited the country in 2007 after former Venezuelan leader Hugo Ch\u00e1vez nationalised its assets.\n\nConocoPhillips also had its assets nationalised that same year.\n\nTrump has argued this constituted \"a theft\" and the US must be compensated.\n\nFixing Venezuela's oil industry costs money... a lot of money\n\nBeyond the politics, there is the logistical operation.\n\nMuch of the infrastructure (wells, pipelines, refineries etc.) is old, poorly maintained, or non-operational, which means major material rebuilding is required before output can be meaningfully increased.\n\nIn addition, years of underinvestment mean Venezuela has lost a lot of trained workers - companies would have to rebuild a modern workforce.\n\nLooking at the numbers, the scale of the required investment is staggering.\n\nRestoring pre-sanctions production levels could cost tens or even hundreds of billions of dollars, said Peter McNally of Third Bridge, a London-based private equity and investment research firm.\n\nVenezuela would also have to reform its laws to allow for larger investment by foreign oil companies. Caracas nationalized the industry in the 1970s, and in the 2000s ordered a forced migration to joint ventures controlled by its state oil company, Petr\u00f3leos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA).\n\nMcNally added that it may take at least ten years for western oil companies to commit to Venezuela.\n\nWhether American oil companies will agree to back into Venezuela remains unclear - and the costs associated with the operation may not represent an attractive business case for their shareholders, even if the US administration agrees to reimburse a part of the cost without further financial incentives.\n\n\"The US oil majors main responsibility is towards their shareholders, not the government,\" said Ole Hansen, an analyst at Danish investment company Saxo Bank.\n\n\"With that in mind I doubt we will see a rush of interest to get back into Venezuela anytime soon.\"\n\nPolitical volatility and legal questions complicate Trump's pitch\n\nOn Saturday, a US Delta Force operation removed and captured strongman Nicol\u00e1s Maduro in a spectacular raid. He is now facing charges on narcoterrorism in New York pending trial. His number 2, Delcy Rodr\u00edguez, is now in command of the country.\n\nStill, questions about the legality of the US operation and the potential for long-term political instability in Venezuela loom large on potential investors.\n\n\u201cAmerican firms won\u2019t return until they know for sure they will be paid and will have at least a minimal amount of security,\u201d said Mark Christian, director of business development at CHRIS Well Consulting in Oklahoma City.\n\nHe also said the companies would not go back until US sanctions against the country are removed. For the time being, the US administration has not indicated it will remove them.\n\nUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested a policy of \"oil quarantine\" for the new leadership led by Rodr\u00edguez, which has kept many elements of the hardcore Maduro regime including the army and the interior minister intact.\n\nFurthermore, frequent changes in Venezuelan policy, unresolved debt, and disputes over nationalization remain a sticking point.\n\nConocoPhillips, whom the Venezuelan authorities owe around $10 billion for the expropriation of their assets in 2007, has signaled it will remain cautious.\n\n\"ConocoPhillips is monitoring developments in Venezuela and their potential implications for global energy supply \u200cand stability. It would be premature to speculate on any future business activities or investments,\" a company spokesperson said.\n\nEd Hirs, \u2060an energy fellow at the University of Houston,\u00a0said that history is full of recent examples of American excursions that didn't produce notable results for U.S. companies.\n\n\"Trump now joins the history of US presidents who have overthrown regimes of countries. Bush with Iraq. Obama with Libya. In those cases, the United States has received zero benefit from the oil,\u201d Hirs said. \u201cI\u2019m afraid that history will repeat itself in Venezuela.\"\n\n","htmlText":"<p>US President Donald Trump has said he wants to run Venezuela \u201cthrough oil\u201d and pointed to billions of dollars in profit for US companies - but what does that mean in practical terms? The answer is far from clear, and experts point to considerable logistical hurdles.<\/p>\n<p>For starters, the idea of running a country through oil does not answer fundamental points such as: Who will run the daily business? Will the Chavista regime cooperate? And will US companies - and perhaps even US taxpayer money - underwrite an enormous investment overhauling the country's vast, but outdated extraction facilities? <\/p>\n<p>For the time being, Trump has not offered any details even as he doubled down on the idea that the US stands to benefit and companies have expressed \"huge interest.\"<\/p>\n<p>For the US president, energy is power and Venezuela holds the key to the world's largest confirmed oil reserves. In Trump's thinking, that will hand Washington extra leverage in geopolitical terms and cement its status as superpower in the region and beyond. <\/p>\n<p>And he may have a point: <\/p>\n<p>According to analysts at US investment banking giant Goldman Sachs, combined oil reserves from Venezuela, neighbouring Guyana, where US companies are deeply involved, and the US could give the United States about 30% of global oil reserves. <\/p>\n<p>Goldman Sachs estimates that oil production could rise dramatically under US influence to 1.4 million barrels per day - from its current production of 0.8 million barrels per day - within two years and reach 2.5 million barrels per day within a decade. <\/p>\n<p>\"We maintain our view that regime change in Venezuela would immediately represent one of the largest upside risks to the global oil supply for 2026 and 2027,\" the bank said in a note published Monday. \"The shift could give the US greater influence over oil markets (...) and reshape the balance of power in international energy markets.\"<\/p>\n<p>But first, US companies would have to go in and foot the cost of reviving its industry. <\/p>\n<p>And the Venezuelan interim authorities - which have often condemned US imperialism - would have to collaborate and the international community agree to what may end up looking like the expropriation of another nation's strategic resources.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//60//26//69//808x539_cmsv2_385958d2-7808-5aa2-8e99-3f3db9f44c6d-9602669.jpg/" alt=\"President Donald Trump listens to a question during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, Florida, January 3rd, 2026, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio watches. (AP Photo)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/26\/69\/384x256_cmsv2_385958d2-7808-5aa2-8e99-3f3db9f44c6d-9602669.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/26\/69\/640x427_cmsv2_385958d2-7808-5aa2-8e99-3f3db9f44c6d-9602669.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/26\/69\/750x500_cmsv2_385958d2-7808-5aa2-8e99-3f3db9f44c6d-9602669.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/26\/69\/828x552_cmsv2_385958d2-7808-5aa2-8e99-3f3db9f44c6d-9602669.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/26\/69\/1080x720_cmsv2_385958d2-7808-5aa2-8e99-3f3db9f44c6d-9602669.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/26\/69\/1200x800_cmsv2_385958d2-7808-5aa2-8e99-3f3db9f44c6d-9602669.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/26\/69\/1920x1280_cmsv2_385958d2-7808-5aa2-8e99-3f3db9f44c6d-9602669.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">President Donald Trump listens to a question during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, Florida, January 3rd, 2026, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio watches. (AP Photo)<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Chevron is the only major US oil company operating in Venezuela under a special license. <\/p>\n<p>Still, the US president seems to believe he can bypass those obstacles. In a press conference, he suggested US companies had already expressed their interest, without providing specifics, and insisted that they stand to make billions if they do. <\/p>\n<p>He also floated a financial reimbursed for their investment as an incentive.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey will be reimbursed for what they\u2019re doing,\u201d Trump said. \u201cWe\u2019ll be selling large amounts of oil to other countries, many of whom are using it now, but I would say many more will come.\"<\/p>\n<p>Venezuela, a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), holds the largest proven oil reserves in the world: about 17% or 3.3 billion barrels, ahead of OPEC behemoth Saudi Arabia, according to the London-based Energy Institute.<\/p>\n<p>For Chevron, which has been operating is the country for almost a century, Venezuela is a market they know well and has remained a profitable operation, but that is not the case other US companies like Exxon Mobil, which exited the country in 2007 after former Venezuelan leader Hugo Ch\u00e1vez nationalised its assets. <\/p>\n<p>ConocoPhillips also had its assets nationalised that same year.<\/p>\n<p>Trump has argued this constituted \"a theft\" and the US must be compensated. <\/p>\n<h3>Fixing Venezuela's oil industry costs money... a lot of money<\/h3>\n<p>Beyond the politics, there is the logistical operation.<\/p>\n<p>Much of the infrastructure (wells, pipelines, refineries etc.) is old, poorly maintained, or non-operational, which means major material rebuilding is required before output can be meaningfully increased.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, years of underinvestment mean Venezuela has lost a lot of trained workers - companies would have to rebuild a modern workforce.<\/p>\n<p>Looking at the numbers, the scale of the required investment is staggering. <\/p>\n<p>Restoring pre-sanctions production levels could cost tens or even hundreds of billions of dollars, said Peter McNally of Third Bridge, a London-based private equity and investment research firm.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.5965\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//60//26//69//808x481_cmsv2_38ff391b-8ee0-56df-93e6-245f89f40eeb-9602669.jpg/" alt=\"A woman takes a picture of the dock of El Palito refinery near Puerto Cabello, Venezuela.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/26\/69\/384x229_cmsv2_38ff391b-8ee0-56df-93e6-245f89f40eeb-9602669.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/26\/69\/640x382_cmsv2_38ff391b-8ee0-56df-93e6-245f89f40eeb-9602669.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/26\/69\/750x447_cmsv2_38ff391b-8ee0-56df-93e6-245f89f40eeb-9602669.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/26\/69\/828x494_cmsv2_38ff391b-8ee0-56df-93e6-245f89f40eeb-9602669.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/26\/69\/1080x644_cmsv2_38ff391b-8ee0-56df-93e6-245f89f40eeb-9602669.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/26\/69\/1200x716_cmsv2_38ff391b-8ee0-56df-93e6-245f89f40eeb-9602669.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/26\/69\/1920x1145_cmsv2_38ff391b-8ee0-56df-93e6-245f89f40eeb-9602669.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">A woman takes a picture of the dock of El Palito refinery near Puerto Cabello, Venezuela.<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Venezuela would also have to reform its laws to allow for larger investment by foreign oil companies. Caracas nationalized the industry in the 1970s, and in the 2000s ordered a forced migration to joint ventures controlled by its state oil company, Petr\u00f3leos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA).<\/p>\n<p>McNally added that it may take at least ten years for western oil companies to commit to Venezuela. <\/p>\n<p>Whether American oil companies will agree to back into Venezuela remains unclear - and the costs associated with the operation may not represent an attractive business case for their shareholders, even if the US administration agrees to reimburse a part of the cost without further financial incentives. <\/p>\n<p>\"The US oil majors main responsibility is towards their shareholders, not the government,\" said Ole Hansen, an analyst at Danish investment company Saxo Bank.<\/p>\n<p>\"With that in mind I doubt we will see a rush of interest to get back into Venezuela anytime soon.\"<\/p>\n<h3>Political volatility and legal questions complicate Trump's pitch<\/h3>\n<p>On Saturday, a US Delta Force operation removed and captured strongman Nicol\u00e1s Maduro in a spectacular raid. He is now facing charges on narcoterrorism in New York pending trial. His number 2, Delcy Rodr\u00edguez, is now in command of the country. <\/p>\n<p>Still, questions about the legality of the US operation and the potential for long-term political instability in Venezuela loom large on potential investors. <\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//60//26//69//808x539_cmsv2_d79fbd59-39dd-5411-93c4-765c77462d35-9602669.jpg/" alt=\"A flag flies over a refinery complex in Carson, California. (AP Photo\/Damian Dovarganes)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/26\/69\/384x256_cmsv2_d79fbd59-39dd-5411-93c4-765c77462d35-9602669.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/26\/69\/640x427_cmsv2_d79fbd59-39dd-5411-93c4-765c77462d35-9602669.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/26\/69\/750x500_cmsv2_d79fbd59-39dd-5411-93c4-765c77462d35-9602669.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/26\/69\/828x552_cmsv2_d79fbd59-39dd-5411-93c4-765c77462d35-9602669.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/26\/69\/1080x720_cmsv2_d79fbd59-39dd-5411-93c4-765c77462d35-9602669.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/26\/69\/1200x800_cmsv2_d79fbd59-39dd-5411-93c4-765c77462d35-9602669.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/26\/69\/1920x1280_cmsv2_d79fbd59-39dd-5411-93c4-765c77462d35-9602669.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">A flag flies over a refinery complex in Carson, California. (AP Photo\/Damian Dovarganes)<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>\u201cAmerican firms won\u2019t return until they know for sure they will be paid and will have at least a minimal amount of security,\u201d said Mark Christian, director of business development at CHRIS Well Consulting in Oklahoma City.<\/p>\n<p>He also said the companies would not go back until US sanctions against the country are removed. For the time being, the US administration has not indicated it will remove them. <\/p>\n<p>US Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested a policy of \"oil quarantine\" for the new leadership led by Rodr\u00edguez, which has kept many elements of the hardcore Maduro regime including the army and the interior minister intact. <\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, frequent changes in Venezuelan policy, unresolved debt, and disputes over nationalization remain a sticking point. <\/p>\n<p>ConocoPhillips, whom the Venezuelan authorities owe around $10 billion for the expropriation of their assets in 2007, has signaled it will remain cautious. <\/p>\n<p>\"ConocoPhillips is monitoring developments in Venezuela and their potential implications for global energy supply \u200cand stability. It would be premature to speculate on any future business activities or investments,\" a company spokesperson said.<\/p>\n<p>Ed Hirs, \u2060an energy fellow at the University of Houston, said that history is full of recent examples of American excursions that didn't produce notable results for U.S. companies.<\/p>\n<p>\"Trump now joins the history of US presidents who have overthrown regimes of countries. Bush with Iraq. Obama with Libya. In those cases, the United States has received zero benefit from the oil,\u201d Hirs said. \u201cI\u2019m afraid that history will repeat itself in Venezuela.\"<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1767620707,"updatedAt":1767705633,"publishedAt":1767704127,"firstPublishedAt":1767704127,"lastPublishedAt":1767705632,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","altText":"The El Palito refinery rises above Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025. (AP Photo\/Matias Delacroix)","callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"caption":"The El Palito refinery rises above Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025. (AP Photo\/Matias Delacroix)","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/26\/69\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_f411dfc4-f27a-529b-9f37-99639dc9c7e2-9602669.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1333},{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","altText":"A flag flies over a refinery complex in Carson, California. (AP Photo\/Damian Dovarganes)","callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"caption":"A flag flies over a refinery complex in Carson, California. (AP Photo\/Damian Dovarganes)","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/26\/69\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_d79fbd59-39dd-5411-93c4-765c77462d35-9602669.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1333},{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","altText":"A woman takes a picture of the dock of El Palito refinery near Puerto Cabello, Venezuela.","callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"caption":"A woman takes a picture of the dock of El Palito refinery near Puerto Cabello, Venezuela.","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/26\/69\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_38ff391b-8ee0-56df-93e6-245f89f40eeb-9602669.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1193},{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","altText":"President Donald Trump listens to a question during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, Florida, January 3rd, 2026, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio watches. (AP Photo)","callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"caption":"President Donald Trump listens to a question during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, Florida, January 3rd, 2026, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio watches. (AP Photo)","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/26\/69\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_385958d2-7808-5aa2-8e99-3f3db9f44c6d-9602669.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1333}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"grobe","twitter":"@StefanGrobe1","id":47,"title":"Stefan Grobe"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","titleRaw":"Venezuela","id":450,"title":"Venezuela","slug":"venezuela"},{"urlSafeValue":"united-states","titleRaw":"United States ","id":13363,"title":"United States ","slug":"united-states"},{"urlSafeValue":"donald-trump","titleRaw":"Donald Trump","id":11900,"title":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump"},{"urlSafeValue":"oil-industry","titleRaw":"oil industry ","id":18334,"title":"oil industry ","slug":"oil-industry"},{"urlSafeValue":"nicolas-maduro","titleRaw":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro","id":11588,"title":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro","slug":"nicolas-maduro"}],"widgets":[{"count":3,"slug":"image"}],"related":[{"id":2859617},{"id":2859424},{"id":2859615}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"news","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":1,"title":"News","slug":"news"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":4392,"urlSafeValue":"america","title":"America"},"country":{"id":298,"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","url":"\/news\/america\/venezuela"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/2026\/01\/06\/as-trump-pitches-venezuelan-oil-dream-for-us-companies-experts-warn-it-wont-be-cheap-or-ea","lastModified":1767705632},{"id":2859986,"cid":9603694,"versionId":2,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"PROFILE DELCY RODRIGUEZ","daletPyramidId":3798087,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"From Maduro's 'tigress' to Venezuela's interim president: Who is Delcy Rodr\u00edguez?","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Delcy Rodr\u00edguez: From Maduro's 'tigress' to Venezuela's interim leader","titleListing2":"From Maduro's 'tigress' to Venezuela's interim president: Who is Delcy Rodr\u00edguez?","leadin":"Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodr\u00edguez evolved from a Ch\u00e1vez-era civil servant into a key player under the recently-ousted Nicol\u00e1s Maduro.","summary":"Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodr\u00edguez evolved from a Ch\u00e1vez-era civil servant into a key player under the recently-ousted Nicol\u00e1s Maduro.","keySentence":"","url":"from-maduros-tigress-to-venezuelas-interim-president-who-is-delcy-rodriguez","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/01\/06\/from-maduros-tigress-to-venezuelas-interim-president-who-is-delcy-rodriguez","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"The swearing in of Delcy Rodr\u00edguez as Venezuela's interim president following Washington's ouster of Nicol\u00e1s Maduro marks the latest twist in the country's socialist \"Chavismo\" movement.\n\nBut who exactly is Rodr\u00edguez, and what can be gleaned from her family background and political ties?\n\nThe 56-year-old lawyer has risen rapidly through the ranks of power in Miraflores Palace over the past decade. Yet her political ascent is inseparable from her family history \u2014above all from the legacy of her father, Jos\u00e9 Antonio Rodr\u00edguez.\n\nJos\u00e9 Antonio Rodr\u00edguez, the patriarch of a family that would later come to shape the trajectory of Venezuela\u2019s socialist journey, was an active student leader and militant within several left-wing armed movements.\n\nHe later co-founded the Socialist League, a marginal political party that rejected electoral politics and actively promoted abstention and the null vote.\n\nIn February 1976, Jos\u00e9 Antonio Rodr\u00edguez allegedly coordinated the abduction of William Niehous, a US executive who headed the Venezuelan operations of the glassmaker Owens-Illinois and whom the guerrilla movement accused of being a CIA agent.\n\nFive months later, Jos\u00e9 Antonio Rodr\u00edguez was arrested by officers of the Directorate of Intelligence and Prevention Services (DISIP). He died in police custody after what his family alleges was torture. His youngest daughter, Delcy, was seven at the time.\n\nBoth Delcy and her brother Jorge \u2014 also a child when their father was killed \u2014 have spoken publicly about the impact of these events, describing their father's death as a defining personal and political trauma.\n\nThe Rodr\u00edguez siblings completed their secondary education at a public high school in Caracas affiliated with the Central University of Venezuela (UCV), an institution that served as an incubator for generations of Marxist activists, including their father.\n\nBoth later enrolled at UCV in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Delcy Rodr\u00edguez graduated in law, while Jorge Rodr\u00edguez trained as a psychiatrist. Despite their different academic paths, both would eventually enter national politics following the rise of Chavismo.\n\nAccording to official government biographies, Delcy Rodr\u00edguez later pursued postgraduate studies abroad, completing degrees in labour law at Paris Nanterre University and in social policy at Birkbeck, University of London.\n\nHowever, there is no publicly available documentation from either institution confirming these qualifications.\n\nFrom Ch\u00e1vez to Maduro\n\nThe Rodr\u00edguez siblings entered public life during Hugo Ch\u00e1vez\u2019s first presidential term, which began in 1999.\n\nDelcy Rodr\u00edguez initially occupied technical and bureaucratic roles rather than overtly political ones.\n\nFrom 2003 onwards, she worked in positions such as the General Coordination Office of the Vice Presidency and the Directorate of International Affairs at the Ministry of Energy and Mines.\n\nHer career took a decisive turn a decade later, following Ch\u00e1vez\u2019s death in 2013 and Maduro\u2019s consolidation of power.\n\nFrom that point on, Delcy Rodr\u00edguez moved into explicitly political roles and became one of the most influential figures within the executive.\n\nShe served as Minister of Communication and Information between 2013 and 2014, then as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2014 to 2017, before becoming president of the National Constituent Assembly in 2017.\n\nThat final role proved particularly consequential. Under her leadership, the Assembly granted itself sweeping, plenipotentiary powers over the other branches of government, ostensibly to draft a new constitution \u2014 a process that was never completed.\n\nIn 2018, the presidency of the Constituent Assembly passed to Diosdado Cabello, Venezuela\u2019s interior minister and the other central figure \u2014 alongside Rodr\u00edguez \u2014 in the country\u2019s current de facto executive structure.\n\nMaduro once praised her international role, saying she defended Venezuela\u2019s sovereignty and his socialist government \"like a tigress\". Announcing her as vice president in 2018, he described her as \"brave \u2026 revolutionary and tested in a thousand battles\".\u00a0\n\n","htmlText":"<p>The swearing in of Delcy Rodr\u00edguez as Venezuela's interim president following Washington's ouster of Nicol\u00e1s Maduro marks the latest twist in the country's socialist \"Chavismo\" movement. <\/p>\n<p>But who exactly is Rodr\u00edguez, and what can be gleaned from her family background and political ties?<\/p>\n<p>The 56-year-old lawyer has risen rapidly through the ranks of power in Miraflores Palace over the past decade. Yet her political ascent is inseparable from her family history \u2014above all from the legacy of her father, Jos\u00e9 Antonio Rodr\u00edguez.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2026//01//06//venezuelas-machado-says-she-wants-to-share-nobel-peace-prize-with-trump/">Venezuela's Machado says she wants to share Nobel Peace Prize with Trump<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2026//01//06//us-allies-and-foes-denounce-trumps-intervention-in-venezuela-in-un-security-council-meetin/">UN Security Council criticises US over military operation in Venezuela<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Jos\u00e9 Antonio Rodr\u00edguez, the patriarch of a family that would later come to shape the trajectory of Venezuela\u2019s socialist journey, was an active student leader and militant within several left-wing armed movements. <\/p>\n<p>He later co-founded the Socialist League, a marginal political party that rejected electoral politics and actively promoted abstention and the null vote.<\/p>\n<p>In February 1976, Jos\u00e9 Antonio Rodr\u00edguez allegedly coordinated the abduction of William Niehous, a US executive who headed the Venezuelan operations of the glassmaker Owens-Illinois and whom the guerrilla movement accused of being a CIA agent.<\/p>\n<p>Five months later, Jos\u00e9 Antonio Rodr\u00edguez was arrested by officers of the Directorate of Intelligence and Prevention Services (DISIP). He died in police custody after what his family alleges was torture. His youngest daughter, Delcy, was seven at the time.<\/p>\n<p>Both Delcy and her brother Jorge \u2014 also a child when their father was killed \u2014 have spoken publicly about the impact of these events, describing their father's death as a defining personal and political trauma.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.5624365482233502\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//60//36//94//808x454_cmsv2_dc0f73cf-884e-5d8d-bbdb-ad3675ead00c-9603694.jpg/" alt=\"FILE: Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez in Caracas, Venezuela, March 15, 2023.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/36\/94\/384x216_cmsv2_dc0f73cf-884e-5d8d-bbdb-ad3675ead00c-9603694.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/36\/94\/640x360_cmsv2_dc0f73cf-884e-5d8d-bbdb-ad3675ead00c-9603694.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/36\/94\/750x422_cmsv2_dc0f73cf-884e-5d8d-bbdb-ad3675ead00c-9603694.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/36\/94\/828x466_cmsv2_dc0f73cf-884e-5d8d-bbdb-ad3675ead00c-9603694.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/36\/94\/1080x607_cmsv2_dc0f73cf-884e-5d8d-bbdb-ad3675ead00c-9603694.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/36\/94\/1200x675_cmsv2_dc0f73cf-884e-5d8d-bbdb-ad3675ead00c-9603694.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/36\/94\/1920x1080_cmsv2_dc0f73cf-884e-5d8d-bbdb-ad3675ead00c-9603694.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">FILE: Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez in Caracas, Venezuela, March 15, 2023.<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Matias Delacroix\/Copyright 2023 The AP. All rights reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>The Rodr\u00edguez siblings completed their secondary education at a public high school in Caracas affiliated with the Central University of Venezuela (UCV), an institution that served as an incubator for generations of Marxist activists, including their father. <\/p>\n<p>Both later enrolled at UCV in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Delcy Rodr\u00edguez graduated in law, while Jorge Rodr\u00edguez trained as a psychiatrist. Despite their different academic paths, both would eventually enter national politics following the rise of Chavismo.<\/p>\n<p>According to official government biographies, Delcy Rodr\u00edguez later pursued postgraduate studies abroad, completing degrees in labour law at Paris Nanterre University and in social policy at Birkbeck, University of London.<\/p>\n<p>However, there is no publicly available documentation from either institution confirming these qualifications.<\/p>\n<h2>From Ch\u00e1vez to Maduro<\/h2>\n<p>The Rodr\u00edguez siblings entered public life during Hugo Ch\u00e1vez\u2019s first presidential term, which began in 1999. <\/p>\n<p>Delcy Rodr\u00edguez initially occupied technical and bureaucratic roles rather than overtly political ones. <\/p>\n<p>From 2003 onwards, she worked in positions such as the General Coordination Office of the Vice Presidency and the Directorate of International Affairs at the Ministry of Energy and Mines.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//green//2026//01//05//a-fossil-fuelled-war-trumps-plans-to-exploit-venezuelas-oil-reserves-sparks-climate-backla/">A \u2018fossil-fuelled war': Trump\u2019s plans to \u2018exploit\u2019 Venezuela\u2019s oil reserves sparks climate backlash<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2026//01//05//eu-bets-on-venezuelas-democratic-transition-as-trump-goes-after-oil-reserves/">EU bets on Venezuela's democratic transition as Trump goes after oil reserves<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Her career took a decisive turn a decade later, following Ch\u00e1vez\u2019s death in 2013 and Maduro\u2019s consolidation of power. <\/p>\n<p>From that point on, Delcy Rodr\u00edguez moved into explicitly political roles and became one of the most influential figures within the executive.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.5625\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//60//36//94//808x454_cmsv2_19e219a6-3cc7-5c25-b05a-68d8258c551b-9603694.jpg/" alt=\"FILE: Vice President Delcy Rodriguez speaks in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. \" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/36\/94\/384x216_cmsv2_19e219a6-3cc7-5c25-b05a-68d8258c551b-9603694.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/36\/94\/640x360_cmsv2_19e219a6-3cc7-5c25-b05a-68d8258c551b-9603694.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/36\/94\/750x422_cmsv2_19e219a6-3cc7-5c25-b05a-68d8258c551b-9603694.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/36\/94\/828x466_cmsv2_19e219a6-3cc7-5c25-b05a-68d8258c551b-9603694.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/36\/94\/1080x608_cmsv2_19e219a6-3cc7-5c25-b05a-68d8258c551b-9603694.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/36\/94\/1200x675_cmsv2_19e219a6-3cc7-5c25-b05a-68d8258c551b-9603694.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/36\/94\/1920x1080_cmsv2_19e219a6-3cc7-5c25-b05a-68d8258c551b-9603694.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">FILE: Vice President Delcy Rodriguez speaks in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. <\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Ariana Cubillos\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>She served as Minister of Communication and Information between 2013 and 2014, then as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2014 to 2017, before becoming president of the National Constituent Assembly in 2017. <\/p>\n<p>That final role proved particularly consequential. Under her leadership, the Assembly granted itself sweeping, plenipotentiary powers over the other branches of government, ostensibly to draft a new constitution \u2014 a process that was never completed.<\/p>\n<p>In 2018, the presidency of the Constituent Assembly passed to Diosdado Cabello, Venezuela\u2019s interior minister and the other central figure \u2014 alongside Rodr\u00edguez \u2014 in the country\u2019s current de facto executive structure.<\/p>\n<p>Maduro once praised her international role, saying she defended Venezuela\u2019s sovereignty and his socialist government \"like a tigress\". Announcing her as vice president in 2018, he described her as \"brave \u2026 revolutionary and tested in a thousand battles\". <\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1767696393,"updatedAt":1768133775,"publishedAt":1767699624,"firstPublishedAt":1767699624,"lastPublishedAt":1768133775,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Ariana Cubillos \/ AP","altText":"Delcy Rodr\u00edguez gives a press conference at Miraflores Palace on 10 March","callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"caption":"Delcy Rodr\u00edguez gives a press conference at Miraflores Palace on 10 March","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/35\/22\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_0b688737-a171-5751-9adb-f5a3e689801d-9603522.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1333},{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Matias Delacroix\/Copyright 2023 The AP. All rights reserved","altText":"FILE: Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez in Caracas, Venezuela, March 15, 2023.","callToActionText":null,"width":985,"caption":"FILE: Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez in Caracas, Venezuela, March 15, 2023.","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/36\/94\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_dc0f73cf-884e-5d8d-bbdb-ad3675ead00c-9603694.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":554},{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Ariana Cubillos\/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved","altText":"FILE: Vice President Delcy Rodriguez speaks in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. ","callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"caption":"FILE: Vice President Delcy Rodriguez speaks in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. ","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/36\/94\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_19e219a6-3cc7-5c25-b05a-68d8258c551b-9603694.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":576}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"iniguez","twitter":null,"id":3224,"title":"Javier Iniguez De Onzono"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","titleRaw":"Venezuela","id":450,"title":"Venezuela","slug":"venezuela"},{"urlSafeValue":"history","titleRaw":"History","id":4229,"title":"History","slug":"history"},{"urlSafeValue":"hugo-chavez","titleRaw":"Hugo Chavez","id":8031,"title":"Hugo Chavez","slug":"hugo-chavez"},{"urlSafeValue":"nicolas-maduro","titleRaw":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro","id":11588,"title":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro","slug":"nicolas-maduro"},{"urlSafeValue":"donald-trump","titleRaw":"Donald Trump","id":11900,"title":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump"}],"widgets":[{"count":2,"slug":"image"},{"count":2,"slug":"related"}],"related":[{"id":2859775}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"news","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":1,"title":"News","slug":"news"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":4392,"urlSafeValue":"america","title":"America"},"country":{"id":298,"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","url":"\/news\/america\/venezuela"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":{"id":1,"slug":"deepl","isActive":1},"localisation":{"producerLanguage":"es","storyId":9603522,"online":1},"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":1,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/2026\/01\/06\/from-maduros-tigress-to-venezuelas-interim-president-who-is-delcy-rodriguez","lastModified":1768133775},{"id":2859988,"cid":9603548,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"MACHADO INTERVIEW FOX NEWS","daletPyramidId":3796407,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Venezuela's Machado says she wants to share Nobel Peace Prize with Trump","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Venezuela's Machado says she would share Nobel Peace Prize with Trump","titleListing2":"Venezuela's Machado says she wants to share Nobel Peace Prize with Trump","leadin":"Mar\u00eda Corina Machado said toppling of Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro was a \"huge step for humanity, for freedom and human dignity\".","summary":"Mar\u00eda Corina Machado said toppling of Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro was a \"huge step for humanity, for freedom and human dignity\".","keySentence":"","url":"venezuelas-machado-says-she-wants-to-share-nobel-peace-prize-with-trump","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/01\/06\/venezuelas-machado-says-she-wants-to-share-nobel-peace-prize-with-trump","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Venezuelan opposition leader Mar\u00eda Corina Machado said on Monday she wants to share her Nobel Peace Prize with US President Donald Trump and personally thank him following his administration's military intervention in Venezuela.\n\nIn an interview with Fox News, Machado praised Trump for the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro on Saturday, describing Washington's actions as \"a huge step for humanity, for freedom and human dignity\".\n\nMachado said she had not spoken to the US president since 10 October, the day when she was announced as winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.\n\nThe 58-year-old was awarded the prize after mounting the most serious peaceful challenge in years to Maduro's government. At the time, Machado partly dedicated the award to Trump, who had long coveted it and said that he had deserved the honour.\n\nSpeaking to Fox News on Monday, Machado said she would share the prize with Trump.\n\n\"I certainly would love to be able to personally tell him that we believe, the Venezuelan people, because this is a prize of the Venezuelan people, certainly want to give it to him, and share it with him,\" Machado told Fox News host Sean Hannity.\n\nAlthough Trump called Machado in October to congratulate her on winning the Nobel prize, US media reported that he was displeased about the fact that she had accepted the much-coveted award rather than declining it and giving it to him.\n\nThe opposition leader also said she plans to return to Venezuela \"as soon as possible\".\n\nMachado briefly appeared in public in December to accept the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo. She had been in hiding since 9 January, when she was briefly detained after joining an anti-government protest in Venezuela's capital Caracas.\n\nMachado won a resounding victory in the opposition's primary election in 2023 with 93% of the vote, but she was barred from holding public office, preventing her from running against Maduro in 2024.\n\nThe candidate who replaced her, Edmundo Gonz\u00e1lez, is believed to have won by a wide margin according to the polling station tallies. However, Maduro was declared the winner in what was widely regarded as apparent election fraud.\n\nMachado's interview with Fox News came days after Trump rejected the idea of working with her.\n\n\"I think it would be very tough for her to be the leader,\" Trump said of Machado.\n\n\"She doesn\u2019t have the support or the respect within the country. She\u2019s a very nice woman, but she doesn\u2019t have the respect.\"\n\nDelcy Rodr\u00edguez \u2014 who served as Venezuela's vice president and oil minister and has vowed to work with the Trump administration \u2014 was sworn in as interim president on Monday, as Maduro appeared in a New York court on drug charges.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Venezuelan opposition leader Mar\u00eda Corina Machado said on Monday she wants to share her Nobel Peace Prize with US President Donald Trump and personally thank him following his administration's military intervention in Venezuela. <\/p>\n<p>In an interview with Fox News, Machado praised Trump for the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro on Saturday, describing Washington's actions as \"a huge step for humanity, for freedom and human dignity\".<\/p>\n<p>Machado said she had not spoken to the US president since 10 October, the day when she was announced as winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. <\/p>\n<p>The 58-year-old was awarded the prize after mounting the most serious peaceful challenge in years to Maduro's government. At the time, Machado partly dedicated the award to Trump, who had long coveted it and said that he had deserved the honour. <\/p>\n<p>Speaking to Fox News on Monday, Machado said she would share the prize with Trump.<\/p>\n<p>\"I certainly would love to be able to personally tell him that we believe, the Venezuelan people, because this is a prize of the Venezuelan people, certainly want to give it to him, and share it with him,\" Machado told Fox News host Sean Hannity.<\/p>\n<p>Although Trump called Machado in October to congratulate her on winning the Nobel prize, US media reported that he was displeased about the fact that she had accepted the much-coveted award rather than declining it and giving it to him.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2026//01//05//venezuela-deals-with-aftermath-of-us-strikes-on-catia-la-mar/">Venezuela deals with aftermath of US strikes on Catia La Mar<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2026//01//05//venezuelas-maduro-faces-first-us-court-appearance-after-capture/">Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro pleads not guilty to drugs charges in first US court appearance<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>The opposition leader also said she plans to return to Venezuela \"as soon as possible\".<\/p>\n<p>Machado briefly appeared in public in December to accept the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo. She had been in hiding since 9 January, when she was briefly detained after joining an anti-government protest in Venezuela's capital Caracas.<\/p>\n<p>Machado won a resounding victory in the opposition's primary election in 2023 with 93% of the vote, but she was barred from holding public office, preventing her from running against Maduro in 2024. <\/p>\n<p>The candidate who replaced her, Edmundo Gonz\u00e1lez, is believed to have won by a wide margin according to the polling station tallies. However, Maduro was declared the winner in what was widely regarded as apparent election fraud.<\/p>\n<p>Machado's interview with Fox News came days after Trump rejected the idea of working with her. <\/p>\n<p>\"I think it would be very tough for her to be the leader,\" Trump said of Machado. <\/p>\n<p>\"She doesn\u2019t have the support or the respect within the country. She\u2019s a very nice woman, but she doesn\u2019t have the respect.\"<\/p>\n<p>Delcy Rodr\u00edguez \u2014 who served as Venezuela's vice president and oil minister and has vowed to work with the Trump administration \u2014 was sworn in as interim president on Monday, as Maduro appeared in a New York court on drug charges.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1767688956,"updatedAt":1767693922,"publishedAt":1767693863,"firstPublishedAt":1767693863,"lastPublishedAt":1767693863,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/35\/48\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_80a7b978-ddda-5084-b7c7-c36e12d69348-9603548.jpg","altText":"Nobel Peace Prize winner Mar\u00eda Corina Machado with Deputy Leader of the Norwegian Nobel Committee Asle Toje, right, outside the Grand Hotel in Oslo, 12 December 2025","caption":"Nobel Peace Prize winner Mar\u00eda Corina Machado with Deputy Leader of the Norwegian Nobel Committee Asle Toje, right, outside the Grand Hotel in Oslo, 12 December 2025","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":576}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":3238,"urlSafeValue":"guilbert","title":"Kieran Guilbert","twitter":null}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":11900,"slug":"donald-trump","urlSafeValue":"donald-trump","title":"Donald Trump","titleRaw":"Donald Trump"},{"id":29242,"slug":"maria-corina-machado","urlSafeValue":"maria-corina-machado","title":"Maria Corina Machado","titleRaw":"Maria Corina Machado"},{"id":11588,"slug":"nicolas-maduro","urlSafeValue":"nicolas-maduro","title":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro","titleRaw":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro"},{"id":450,"slug":"venezuela","urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","titleRaw":"Venezuela"},{"id":13363,"slug":"united-states","urlSafeValue":"united-states","title":"United States ","titleRaw":"United States "},{"id":17212,"slug":"nobel-peace-prize","urlSafeValue":"nobel-peace-prize","title":"Nobel\u00a0Peace\u00a0Prize","titleRaw":"Nobel\u00a0Peace\u00a0Prize"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"related","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2859910},{"id":2859777},{"id":2859778}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":4392,"urlSafeValue":"america","title":"America"},"country":{"id":298,"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","url":"\/news\/america\/venezuela"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/2026\/01\/06\/venezuelas-machado-says-she-wants-to-share-nobel-peace-prize-with-trump","lastModified":1767693863},{"id":2859805,"cid":9602702,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"Henrik Dahl oped ","daletPyramidId":3785416,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Europe must stop pretending there was ever a truly rules-based international order","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Europe must stop pretending there is a rules-based international order","titleListing2":"Euroviews. Europe must stop pretending there was ever a truly rules-based international order","leadin":"The US seizure of Venezuelan leader Nicol\u00e1s Maduro is not troubling because international law has once again been sidelined, but because Europeans continue to react as if this were unexpected, Danish MEP Henrik Dahl writes in an opinion article for Euronews.","summary":"The US seizure of Venezuelan leader Nicol\u00e1s Maduro is not troubling because international law has once again been sidelined, but because Europeans continue to react as if this were unexpected, Danish MEP Henrik Dahl writes in an opinion article for Euronews.","keySentence":"","url":"europe-must-stop-pretending-there-was-ever-a-truly-rules-based-international-order","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/01\/05\/europe-must-stop-pretending-there-was-ever-a-truly-rules-based-international-order","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"There has never been a rules-based international order. What is new is admitting it.\n\nThe American arrest of Venezuela\u2019s dictator Nicol\u00e1s Maduro (and his wife), accompanied by the use of military force, has understandably prompted many in Europe to lament what they see as a breach of the rules-based international order.\n\nThe purpose of the following reflections is to place this assumption in perspective. If we confine ourselves to the permanent members of the UN Security Council, only the United Kingdom and France can be said to respect \u2014\u00a0more or less consistently \u2014\u00a0what Europeans refer to as \u201cthe rules-based international order.\u201d\n\nRussia is waging war in Ukraine in blatant violation of international law. China\u2019s conduct in the South China Sea has no place within the framework of international law. And neither does the American arrest of Maduro.\n\nIn other words, the majority of the permanent members of the Security Council have \u2014 diplomatically speaking \u2014 a relaxed relationship with the UN Charter and other fundamental components of the rules-based international order.\n\nThat the United States, Russia, and China adhere to the principles of the rules-based international order only until they no longer do so is nothing new. The difference lies rather in how such violations are justified.\n\nThe US continues to legitimise its actions in a normative language of human rights, responsibility, and international order \u2014 even when the arguments are thin. Russia and China, by contrast, increasingly refer openly to spheres of influence, historical entitlement, and civilisational particularities.\n\nRussia \u2014 and before it the Soviet Union \u2014 has a long history of invading countries within its sphere of interest that failed to fall into line.\n\nChina has been a member of the WTO for 25 years without ever genuinely respecting the organisation\u2019s rules.\n\nThe US, for its part, has carried out a substantial number of military operations without a UN mandate since World War II.\n\n'Normative phantom'\n\nThe question, therefore, is not when these three countries abandoned respect for the international order. The question is rather whether they ever truly embraced it in anything other than a rhetorical sense.\n\nUpon closer reflection, one is compelled to conclude that \u201cthe rules-based international order\u201d is, to a large extent, a normative phantom \u2014 one to which small and medium-sized European states have shown a particular fondness for rhetorical devotion. Much like their principal cooperative institution: the EU.\n\nThis is not to say that norms are without significance. Rules do matter \u2014 but they operate asymmetrically. They discipline the weak far more effectively than they constrain the strong.\n\nIn principle, I see nothing wrong with toasts to principles that are difficult to live up to on a daily basis. The point of a toast is to establish an ideal: a conception most people recognise and respect. If successful, this has two advantages.\n\nFirst, it provides a norm to which one can appeal when it is violated. Even if one does not tell the full truth at all times, the norm of truthfulness is a good thing.\n\nIt offers a starting point for legitimate criticism when a specific person, in a specific situation, is not being truthful \u2014 and that is useful. Second, norms can, in fortunate cases, induce shame in those who violate them \u2014 and public shaming when they are caught in flagrante.\n\nNo society can function without such mechanisms of control and self-control. Seen in this light, there is of course nothing wrong with European countries - and the EU as a whole - professing their commitment to the rules-based international order.\n\nThe problem arises when Europeans genuinely believe that the world is in fact governed by rules, and that violations are consistently called out and sanctioned. Why?\n\nPower over rules\n\nFundamentally, this has little to do with reality. What ultimately governs the course of world affairs is power. Great powers comply with rules as long as it is in their interest to do so.\n\nThe moment that interest disappears, so does compliance. Small and medium-sized states can only hope that the great powers will continue to play by the rules.\n\nFor if they do not \u2014 what then? Nothing. In practice, the rules become void, and the law of the strong prevails.\n\nFor this reason, the real problem with the American arrest of Maduro is not that international law has once again been set aside. Historically speaking, that is nothing new.\n\nWhat is new is that Europeans still pretend to be surprised. That great powers recognise the \u201crules-based international order\u201d only when it suits them is therefore not new.\n\nWhat is new is merely that they are increasingly no longer bothering to conceal it. Sex also existed before the liberalisation of pornography. What was new was not that people suddenly began doing things they had never done before. What was new was that they no longer felt ashamed of it.\n\nIn this sense, the new international reality resembles the liberalisation of pornography more than the emergence of any genuinely new, epoch-making activities in bedrooms around the world.\n\nIn a world where strong powers act openly on the basis of interest and power, weaker actors must either build real power, align themselves with power \u2014 or accept their irrelevance.\n\nAppeals to unenforced rules change nothing. Protests without sanctioning capacity change nothing. Moral outrage without material means changes nothing.\n\nFor Europe, this means that the question is no longer whether the rules-based international order has been violated. That question is irrelevant.\n\nThe only relevant question is which instruments of power Europe possesses - military, economic, and strategic - and whether there is political will to use them. If not, Europe will continue to speak the language of norms in a world that has moved on to the language of power. Elegant \u2014 but without effect.\n\nHenrik Dahl (EPP) is a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Denmark.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>There has never been a rules-based international order. What is new is admitting it.<\/p>\n<p>The American arrest of Venezuela\u2019s dictator Nicol\u00e1s Maduro (and his wife), accompanied by the use of military force, has understandably prompted many in Europe to lament what they see as a breach of the rules-based international order.<\/p>\n<p>The purpose of the following reflections is to place this assumption in perspective. If we confine ourselves to the permanent members of the UN Security Council, only the United Kingdom and France can be said to respect \u2014 more or less consistently \u2014 what Europeans refer to as \u201cthe rules-based international order.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Russia is waging war in Ukraine in blatant violation of international law. China\u2019s conduct in the South China Sea has no place within the framework of international law. And neither does the American arrest of Maduro. <\/p>\n<p>In other words, the majority of the permanent members of the Security Council have \u2014 diplomatically speaking \u2014 a relaxed relationship with the UN Charter and other fundamental components of the rules-based international order.<\/p>\n<p>That the United States, Russia, and China adhere to the principles of the rules-based international order only until they no longer do so is nothing new. The difference lies rather in how such violations are justified.<\/p>\n<p>The US continues to legitimise its actions in a normative language of human rights, responsibility, and international order \u2014 even when the arguments are thin. Russia and China, by contrast, increasingly refer openly to spheres of influence, historical entitlement, and civilisational particularities.<\/p>\n<p>Russia \u2014 and before it the Soviet Union \u2014 has a long history of invading countries within its sphere of interest that failed to fall into line. <\/p>\n<p>China has been a member of the WTO for 25 years without ever genuinely respecting the organisation\u2019s rules. <\/p>\n<p>The US, for its part, has carried out a substantial number of military operations without a UN mandate since World War II.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>'Normative phantom'<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The question, therefore, is not when these three countries abandoned respect for the international order. The question is rather whether they ever truly embraced it in anything other than a rhetorical sense. <\/p>\n<p>Upon closer reflection, one is compelled to conclude that \u201cthe rules-based international order\u201d is, to a large extent, a normative phantom \u2014 one to which small and medium-sized European states have shown a particular fondness for rhetorical devotion. Much like their principal cooperative institution: the EU. <\/p>\n<p>This is not to say that norms are without significance. Rules do matter \u2014 but they operate asymmetrically. They discipline the weak far more effectively than they constrain the strong.<\/p>\n<p>In principle, I see nothing wrong with toasts to principles that are difficult to live up to on a daily basis. The point of a toast is to establish an ideal: a conception most people recognise and respect. If successful, this has two advantages. <\/p>\n<p>First, it provides a norm to which one can appeal when it is violated. Even if one does not tell the full truth at all times, the norm of truthfulness is a good thing. <\/p>\n<p>It offers a starting point for legitimate criticism when a specific person, in a specific situation, is not being truthful \u2014 and that is useful. Second, norms can, in fortunate cases, induce shame in those who violate them \u2014 and public shaming when they are caught in flagrante.<\/p>\n<p>No society can function without such mechanisms of control and self-control. Seen in this light, there is of course nothing wrong with European countries - and the EU as a whole - professing their commitment to the rules-based international order. <\/p>\n<p>The problem arises when Europeans genuinely believe that the world is in fact governed by rules, and that violations are consistently called out and sanctioned. Why?<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Power over rules<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Fundamentally, this has little to do with reality. What ultimately governs the course of world affairs is power. Great powers comply with rules as long as it is in their interest to do so. <\/p>\n<p>The moment that interest disappears, so does compliance. Small and medium-sized states can only hope that the great powers will continue to play by the rules. <\/p>\n<p>For if they do not \u2014 what then? Nothing. In practice, the rules become void, and the law of the strong prevails.<\/p>\n<p>For this reason, the real problem with the American arrest of Maduro is not that international law has once again been set aside. Historically speaking, that is nothing new. <\/p>\n<p>What is new is that Europeans still pretend to be surprised. That great powers recognise the \u201crules-based international order\u201d only when it suits them is therefore not new. <\/p>\n<p>What is new is merely that they are increasingly no longer bothering to conceal it. Sex also existed before the liberalisation of pornography. What was new was not that people suddenly began doing things they had never done before. What was new was that they no longer felt ashamed of it. <\/p>\n<p>In this sense, the new international reality resembles the liberalisation of pornography more than the emergence of any genuinely new, epoch-making activities in bedrooms around the world.<\/p>\n<p>In a world where strong powers act openly on the basis of interest and power, weaker actors must either build real power, align themselves with power \u2014 or accept their irrelevance. <\/p>\n<p>Appeals to unenforced rules change nothing. Protests without sanctioning capacity change nothing. Moral outrage without material means changes nothing.<\/p>\n<p>For Europe, this means that the question is no longer whether the rules-based international order has been violated. That question is irrelevant. <\/p>\n<p>The only relevant question is which instruments of power Europe possesses - military, economic, and strategic - and whether there is political will to use them. If not, Europe will continue to speak the language of norms in a world that has moved on to the language of power. Elegant \u2014 but without effect.<\/p>\n<p><em>Henrik Dahl (EPP) is a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Denmark.<\/em><\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1767621791,"updatedAt":1767627991,"publishedAt":1767627984,"firstPublishedAt":1767627984,"lastPublishedAt":1767627984,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/27\/02\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_60eacfdc-2a34-5df2-aa25-4284a1d4726a-9602702.jpg","altText":"US President Donald Trump speaks at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, 3 January 2026","caption":"US President Donald Trump speaks at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, 3 January 2026","captionUrl":"https:\/\/newsroom.ap.org\/home\/search?query=Maduro&mediaType=photo","captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":"https:\/\/newsroom.ap.org\/home\/search?query=Maduro&mediaType=photo","sourceCredit":"AP","callToActionUrl":"https:\/\/newsroom.ap.org\/home\/search?query=Israel%20EU&mediaType=photo","callToActionText":"AP","width":1600,"height":900}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":22480,"slug":"euroviews","urlSafeValue":"euroviews","title":"Euroviews","titleRaw":"Euroviews"},{"id":11900,"slug":"donald-trump","urlSafeValue":"donald-trump","title":"Donald Trump","titleRaw":"Donald Trump"},{"id":105,"slug":"european-union","urlSafeValue":"european-union","title":"European Union","titleRaw":"European Union"},{"id":450,"slug":"venezuela","urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","titleRaw":"Venezuela"}],"widgets":[],"related":[{"id":2859775},{"id":2859617},{"id":2859563}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"MEP Henrik Dahl ","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":4392,"urlSafeValue":"america","title":"America"},"country":{"id":298,"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","url":"\/news\/america\/venezuela"},"town":{"id":516,"urlSafeValue":"caracas-venezuela","title":"Caracas, Venezuela"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":1,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/2026\/01\/05\/europe-must-stop-pretending-there-was-ever-a-truly-rules-based-international-order","lastModified":1767627984},{"id":2859778,"cid":9602607,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"Trump oil","daletPyramidId":3784609,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"A \u2018fossil-fuelled war': Trump\u2019s plans to \u2018exploit\u2019 Venezuela\u2019s oil reserves sparks climate backlash","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Trump\u2019s push to control Venezuela\u2019s oil sparks climate outrage","titleListing2":"A \u2018fossil-fuelled war': Trump\u2019s plans to \u2018exploit\u2019 Venezuela\u2019s oil reserves sparks climate backlash","leadin":"Trump says he will bring in large US companies to fix Venezuela\u2019s oil infrastructure, despite growing calls to end fossil fuels.","summary":"Trump says he will bring in large US companies to fix Venezuela\u2019s oil infrastructure, despite growing calls to end fossil fuels.","keySentence":"","url":"a-fossil-fuelled-war-trumps-plans-to-exploit-venezuelas-oil-reserves-sparks-climate-backla","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/green\/2026\/01\/05\/a-fossil-fuelled-war-trumps-plans-to-exploit-venezuelas-oil-reserves-sparks-climate-backla","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Donald Trump has been warned against tapping into Venezuela\u2019s oil reserves after seizing President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro and threatening more military strikes.\n\nAfter claiming de facto control over the country, the US states it will be \u201cvery strongly involved\u201d in the country\u2019s oil industry, which Trump described as a \u201ctotal bust\u201d. Speaking to reporters yesterday (Sunday, 4 January), the POTUS confirmed that he will send large US oil companies to spend \u201cbillions of dollars\u201d to fix oil infrastructure and start \u201cmaking money for the country\u201d.\n\nTrump vowed to unleash a second wave of attacks if the US \u201cneeds to\u201d but adds that this may not be necessary following the \u201csuccess\u201d of its first round of strikes.\n\nThe announcement sparked heavy backlash from NGOs around the world. Environmentalists have branded the move \u201creckless and dangerous\u201d. It has reiterated growing calls for a just transition away from fossil fuels to protect the planet and support communities in their move to clean energy.\n\nWhy does Venezuela have so much oil?\n\nVenezuela holds the largest proven crude oil reserves in the world, sitting on an estimated 303 billion barrels (Bbbl). It outranks so-called petrostates like Saudi Arabia and Iran, which have 267.2 Bbbl and 208.6 Bbbl, respectively.\n\nHowever, the amount of oil Venezuela actually produces is tiny in comparison, and output has plummeted over the last two decades due to the previous administration tightening controls around the state-run oil company PDVSA.\u00a0\n\nMuch of Venezuela's extra-heavy crude oil lies in the Orinoco Belt, but it is much harder and more expensive to extract than conventional crude due to its thick and highly viscous nature.\n\nWestern oil companies such as Chevron still operate in the country, but on a much smaller scale following the widening of US sanctions to target oil exports. These were first implemented back in 2015 during the Obama administration due to claims of human rights violations, and cut Venezuela off from essential investment in its fossil fuel industry to ramp up extraction.\n\nWhat happens if the US reforms Venezuela\u2019s oil industry\n\nAnalysts predict Trump\u2019s plan to revitalise the country\u2019s oil infrastructure could double or triple its current output of about 1.1 million Bbbl to historic levels. Despite years of neglect, this could happen fairly quickly.\n\nIf Venezuela grows into an oil production powerhouse, Phil Flynn of Price Futures Group says lower oil prices could be cemented for the \u201clonger-term\u201d and put more pressure on Russia as Europe and the rest of the world could get more of the diesel and heavy oil they need from Venezuela and stop buying from Russia.\n\nAccording to AP, a major shift in oil prices wasn\u2019t expected because Venezuela is a member of OPEC, so its production is already accounted for there. There is also currently a surplus of oil on the global market.\u00a0\n\nHowever, ramping up oil extraction amid rising global warming has resulted in stronger demands for the world to phase out its use of fossil fuels.\n\nA \u2018just transition away from fossil fuels\u2019\n\nGreenpeace International says it is \u201cdeeply concerned about the most recent illegal military action by President Donald Trump\u201d. It warns that the rights, safety and interests of the Venezuelan people must come first.\n\n\u201cIn an era of accelerating climate breakdown, eyeing Venezuela\u2019s vast oil reserves this way is both reckless and dangerous,\u201d says Mads Christensen, the organisation\u2019s executive director.\n\n\u201cThe only safe path forward is a just transition away from fossil fuels, one that protects health, safeguards ecosystems, and supports communities rather than sacrificing them for short-term profit.\u201d\n\nChristensen urged the international community to \u201cact now\u201d and uphold international law to prevent further harm, adding: \u201cCrucially, states must resist efforts to exploit the crisis for fossil fuel expansion and instead mobilise financial, legal, and political support for a just transition that serves the Venezuelan people, not oil interests.\u201d\n\nA \u2018fossil-fuelled war\u2019 on Venezuela\u00a0\n\nOil Change International also criticised Trump\u2019s hostility, arguing it follows a \u201chistoric playbook\u201d to benefit extractive companies.\n\n\u201cThe most powerful multinational fossil fuel corporations stand to benefit from these aggressions, and US oil and gas companies are poised to exploit the chaos and carve up one of the world\u2019s most oil-rich territories,\u201d says Elizabeth Bast, the organisation\u2019s executive director.\n\nBast urged the US to stop treating Latin America as a \u201cresource colony\u201d, arguing that the Venezuelan people must shape their country\u2019s future \u2013 not oil execs.\u00a0\n\nThe \u2018largest contributor\u2019 to climate change\n\nFossil fuels \u2013 coal, oil and gas\u2013 are by far the largest contributors to global climate change. According to the United Nations, they account for around 68 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and almost 90 per cent of all carbon dioxide emissions.\n\nAs greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere, they trap the sun\u2019s heat. Already, global temperatures have increased to around 1.4\u00b0C above preindustrial levels - unleashing a slew of issues such as increased extreme weather events, ocean acidification, loss of species, and global food insecurity.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Donald Trump has been warned against tapping into <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2026//01//05//rubio-says-us-will-not-govern-venezuela-but-will-press-for-policy-change-through-oil-block/">Venezuela/u2019s oil<\/strong><\/a>reserves after seizing President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro and threatening more military strikes.<\/p>\n<p>After claiming de facto control over the country, the US states it will be \u201cvery strongly involved\u201d in the country\u2019s oil industry, which Trump described as a \u201ctotal bust\u201d. Speaking to reporters yesterday (Sunday, 4 January), the POTUS confirmed that he will send large US oil companies to spend \u201cbillions of dollars\u201d to fix oil infrastructure and start \u201cmaking money for the country\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Trump vowed to unleash a second wave of attacks if the US \u201cneeds to\u201d but adds that this may not be necessary following the \u201csuccess\u201d of its first round of strikes.<\/p>\n<p>The announcement sparked heavy backlash from NGOs around the world. Environmentalists have branded the move \u201creckless and dangerous\u201d. It has reiterated growing calls for a just transition away from <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//green//2025//11//20//fossil-fuel-phaseout-becomes-cop30s-biggest-talking-point-but-will-it-ever-happen/">fossil fuels<\/strong><\/a> to protect the planet and support communities in their move to clean energy.<\/p>\n<h2>Why does Venezuela have so much oil?<\/h2>\n<p>Venezuela holds the largest proven crude oil reserves in the world, sitting on an estimated 303 billion barrels (Bbbl). It outranks so-called petrostates like Saudi Arabia and Iran, which have 267.2 Bbbl and 208.6 Bbbl, respectively.<\/p>\n<p>However, the amount of oil Venezuela actually produces is tiny in comparison, and output has plummeted over the last two decades due to the previous administration tightening controls around the state-run oil company PDVSA. <\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2026//01//05//why-does-trump-want-greenland-so-badly-and-what-could-it-mean-for-europe/">Why does Trump want Greenland so badly, and what could it mean for Europe? <\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2026//01//03//cuba-is-something-well-end-up-talking-about-says-trump/">Cuba is something we'll end up talking about, says Trump<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Much of Venezuela's extra-heavy crude oil lies in the Orinoco Belt, but it is much harder and more expensive to extract than conventional crude due to its thick and highly viscous nature.<\/p>\n<p>Western oil companies such as Chevron still operate in the country, but on a much smaller scale following the widening of US sanctions to target oil exports. These were first implemented back in 2015 during the Obama administration due to claims of human rights violations, and cut Venezuela off from essential investment in its fossil fuel industry to ramp up extraction.<\/p>\n<h2>What happens if the US reforms Venezuela\u2019s oil industry<\/h2>\n<p>Analysts predict Trump\u2019s plan to revitalise the country\u2019s oil infrastructure could double or triple its current output of about 1.1 million Bbbl to historic levels. Despite years of neglect, this could happen fairly quickly.<\/p>\n<p>If Venezuela grows into an oil production powerhouse, Phil Flynn of Price Futures Group says lower oil prices could be cemented for the \u201clonger-term\u201d and put more pressure on Russia as Europe and the rest of the world could get more of the diesel and heavy oil they need from Venezuela and stop buying from Russia.<\/p>\n<p>According to AP, a major shift in oil prices wasn\u2019t expected because Venezuela is a member of OPEC, so its production is already accounted for there. There is also currently a surplus of oil on the global market. <\/p>\n<p>However, ramping up oil extraction amid rising global warming has resulted in stronger demands for the world to phase out its use of fossil fuels.<\/p>\n<h2>A \u2018just transition away from fossil fuels\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>Greenpeace International says it is \u201cdeeply concerned about the most recent illegal military action by President Donald Trump\u201d. It warns that the rights, safety and interests of the Venezuelan people must come first.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn an era of accelerating <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//green//2025//11//04//world-heading-for-28c-warming-as-un-report-reveals-climate-pledges-are-barely-moving-the-n/">climate breakdown<\/strong><\/a>, eyeing Venezuela\u2019s vast oil reserves this way is both reckless and dangerous,\u201d says Mads Christensen, the organisation\u2019s executive director.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe only safe path forward is a just transition away from fossil fuels, one that protects health, safeguards ecosystems, and supports communities rather than sacrificing them for short-term profit.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Christensen urged the international community to \u201cact now\u201d and uphold international law to prevent further harm, adding: \u201cCrucially, states must resist efforts to exploit the crisis for fossil fuel expansion and instead mobilise financial, legal, and political support for a just transition that serves the Venezuelan people, not oil interests.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>A \u2018fossil-fuelled war\u2019 on Venezuela<\/h2>\n<p>Oil Change International also criticised Trump\u2019s hostility, arguing it follows a \u201chistoric playbook\u201d to benefit extractive companies.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe most powerful multinational fossil fuel corporations stand to benefit from these aggressions, and US oil and gas companies are poised to exploit the chaos and carve up one of the world\u2019s most oil-rich territories,\u201d says Elizabeth Bast, the organisation\u2019s executive director.<\/p>\n<p>Bast urged the US to stop treating Latin America as a \u201cresource colony\u201d, arguing that the Venezuelan people must shape their country\u2019s future \u2013 not oil execs. <\/p>\n<h2>The \u2018largest contributor\u2019 to climate change<\/h2>\n<p><a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//green//2025//12//24//trumps-rollbacks-made-2025-a-turbulent-year-for-clean-energy-so-why-are-experts-optimistic/">Fossil fuels<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 coal, oil and gas\u2013 are by far the largest contributors to global climate change. According to the United Nations, they account for around 68 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and almost 90 per cent of all carbon dioxide emissions.<\/p>\n<p>As greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere, they trap the sun\u2019s heat. Already, global temperatures have increased to around 1.4\u00b0C above preindustrial levels - unleashing a slew of issues such as increased extreme weather events, ocean acidification, loss of species, and global food insecurity.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1767616891,"updatedAt":1767626191,"publishedAt":1767625217,"firstPublishedAt":1767625217,"lastPublishedAt":1767625217,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/26\/07\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_db55e251-d138-590b-a8d2-329cf1ddc187-9602607.jpg","altText":"President Donald Trump speaks with reporters while in flight on Air Force One, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, as returning to Joint Base Andrews, Md. ","caption":"President Donald Trump speaks with reporters while in flight on Air Force One, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, as returning to Joint Base Andrews, Md. ","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"height":1125}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":3531,"urlSafeValue":"liam.gilliver@ext.euronews.com","title":"Liam Gilliver","twitter":null}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":450,"slug":"venezuela","urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","titleRaw":"Venezuela"},{"id":11900,"slug":"donald-trump","urlSafeValue":"donald-trump","title":"Donald Trump","titleRaw":"Donald Trump"},{"id":27610,"slug":"crude-oil","urlSafeValue":"crude-oil","title":"crude oil","titleRaw":"crude oil"},{"id":9385,"slug":"fossil-fuels","urlSafeValue":"fossil-fuels","title":"Fossil fuels","titleRaw":"Fossil fuels"},{"id":15386,"slug":"climate-change","urlSafeValue":"climate-change","title":"climate change","titleRaw":"climate change"},{"id":13406,"slug":"us-politics","urlSafeValue":"us-politics","title":"US politics","titleRaw":"US politics"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"related","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2859677},{"id":2859342},{"id":2859635}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"green-news","urlSafeValue":"green-news","title":"Green News","online":0,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/green\/green-news\/green-news"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"green","verticals":[{"id":8,"slug":"green","urlSafeValue":"green","title":"Green"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":8,"slug":"green","urlSafeValue":"green","title":"Green"},"themes":[{"id":"green-news","urlSafeValue":"green-news","title":"Green News","url":"\/green\/green-news"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":35,"urlSafeValue":"green-news","title":"Green News"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":4392,"urlSafeValue":"america","title":"America"},"country":{"id":298,"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","url":"\/news\/america\/venezuela"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/green\/2026\/01\/05\/a-fossil-fuelled-war-trumps-plans-to-exploit-venezuelas-oil-reserves-sparks-climate-backla","lastModified":1767625217},{"id":2859677,"cid":9602199,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"NC3 VENEZUELA US STRIKE AFTERMATH","daletPyramidId":3780991,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":6},{"id":8},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Venezuela deals with aftermath of US strikes on Catia La Mar","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Venezuela deals with aftermath of US strikes on Catia La Mar","titleListing2":"Venezuela recovers after US strikes hit Catia La Mar, causing civilian casualties #Venezuela","leadin":"Venezuela is reeling from US strikes on Catia La Mar, with fires, power outages, and severe damage reported. At least one civilian death and several injuries confirmed.","summary":"Venezuela is reeling from US strikes on Catia La Mar, with fires, power outages, and severe damage reported. At least one civilian death and several injuries confirmed.","keySentence":"","url":"venezuela-deals-with-aftermath-of-us-strikes-on-catia-la-mar","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/01\/05\/venezuela-deals-with-aftermath-of-us-strikes-on-catia-la-mar","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Venezuela is still dealing with the fallout from US strikes that hit the coastal town of Catia La Mar on January 3. Residents say the attacks struck a civilian apartment building and nearby port areas during the US operation targeting President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro. Fires broke out, power was cut in parts of the town and homes were left badly damaged near La Guaira.\n\nAccounts of the human toll vary. Venezuelan authorities confirmed at least one civilian death and several serious injuries at the apartment site, while other sources cited much higher casualty figures across multiple locations. The United States said its forces suffered only minor injuries. No final civilian death toll has been confirmed.\n\nIn the days since, residents have cleared rubble from roads linking Catia La Mar to Caracas as emergency teams focused on damaged port facilities and housing. Satellite images show destroyed warehouses, burned vehicles and a security post. For many locals, recovery continues amid uncertainty and lingering shock.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Venezuela is still dealing with the fallout from US strikes that hit the coastal town of Catia La Mar on January 3. Residents say the attacks struck a civilian apartment building and nearby port areas during the US operation targeting President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro. Fires broke out, power was cut in parts of the town and homes were left badly damaged near La Guaira.<\/p>\n<p>Accounts of the human toll vary. Venezuelan authorities confirmed at least one civilian death and several serious injuries at the apartment site, while other sources cited much higher casualty figures across multiple locations. The United States said its forces suffered only minor injuries. No final civilian death toll has been confirmed.<\/p>\n<p>In the days since, residents have cleared rubble from roads linking Catia La Mar to Caracas as emergency teams focused on damaged port facilities and housing. Satellite images show destroyed warehouses, burned vehicles and a security post. For many locals, recovery continues amid uncertainty and lingering shock.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1767598209,"updatedAt":1767605564,"publishedAt":1767604975,"firstPublishedAt":1767604975,"lastPublishedAt":1767604975,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/21\/99\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_f1616a5b-4522-5f78-a3c7-c359e319e3aa-9602199.jpg","altText":"Jonathan Mayoral helps relatives clean up their apartment, which residents say was damaged during U.S. military operations to capture Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro","caption":"Jonathan Mayoral helps relatives clean up their apartment, which residents say was damaged during U.S. military operations to capture Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"height":1333}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":176,"urlSafeValue":"caraco","title":"Alexis Caraco","twitter":null}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":450,"slug":"venezuela","urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","titleRaw":"Venezuela"},{"id":15554,"slug":"airstrike","urlSafeValue":"airstrike","title":"Airstrike","titleRaw":"Airstrike"},{"id":11588,"slug":"nicolas-maduro","urlSafeValue":"nicolas-maduro","title":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro","titleRaw":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro"},{"id":11900,"slug":"donald-trump","urlSafeValue":"donald-trump","title":"Donald Trump","titleRaw":"Donald Trump"},{"id":5835,"slug":"civilians","urlSafeValue":"civilians","title":"Civilians","titleRaw":"Civilians"},{"id":516,"slug":"caracas","urlSafeValue":"caracas","title":"Caracas","titleRaw":"Caracas"}],"widgets":[],"related":[{"id":2859698},{"id":2859468},{"id":2859615}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"QuaW7L9tr5g","dailymotionId":"x9x35ja"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"duration":60000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":11524507,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/ED\/33\/11\/94\/09\/ED_PYR_3311949_20260105074013.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"md"},{"duration":60000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":15792540,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/SHD\/33\/11\/94\/09\/SHD_PYR_3311949_20260105074013.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"hd"},{"duration":60000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":48141510,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/FHD\/33\/11\/94\/09\/FHD_PYR_3311949_20260105074013.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"1080p"}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"AP","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"nocomment","urlSafeValue":"nocomment","title":"No 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Venezuela"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/video\/2026\/01\/05\/venezuela-deals-with-aftermath-of-us-strikes-on-catia-la-mar","lastModified":1767604975},{"id":2859413,"cid":9601350,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"NC2 CARACAS RESIDENT STOCK UP ON GROCERIES","daletPyramidId":3772829,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Venezuela: Caracas residents stock up on groceries amid political uncertainty","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":null,"titleListing2":"Venezuela: Caracas residents stock up on groceries amid political uncertainty","leadin":"Residents in Caracas were seen buying groceries and preparing to leave or stay indoors as uncertainty spread following reports about President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro.","summary":"Residents in Caracas were seen buying groceries and preparing to leave or stay indoors as uncertainty spread following reports about President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro.","keySentence":"","url":"venezuela-caracas-residents-stock-up-on-groceries-amid-political-uncertainty","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/01\/03\/venezuela-caracas-residents-stock-up-on-groceries-amid-political-uncertainty","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Caracas residents in fear, are buying groceries and getting ready as uncertainty grows in Venezuela after its president Nicol\u00e1s Maduro was captured by the US, as President Donald Trump announced.\n\nIn the capital Caracas, many rushed to shops to buy groceries to make sure their homes are packed as uncertainty grows.\n\nLong queues formed outside markets and pharmacies, while some people prepared to leave the city.\n\nPolice vehicles and armed officers were visible in parts of the capital as daily life continued amid heightened tension.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Caracas residents in fear, are buying groceries and getting ready as uncertainty grows in Venezuela after its president Nicol\u00e1s Maduro was captured by the US, as President Donald Trump announced.<\/p>\n<p>In the capital Caracas, many rushed to shops to buy groceries to make sure their homes are packed as uncertainty grows.<\/p>\n<p>Long queues formed outside markets and pharmacies, while some people prepared to leave the city. <\/p>\n<p>Police vehicles and armed officers were visible in parts of the capital as daily life continued amid heightened tension.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1767462103,"updatedAt":1767463729,"publishedAt":1767463417,"firstPublishedAt":1767463417,"lastPublishedAt":1767463417,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/13\/50\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_eacd701b-2d99-5954-9204-562b9c0adfff-9601350.jpg","altText":"People line up outside a supermarket in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026","caption":"People line up outside a supermarket in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"height":1333}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":11588,"slug":"nicolas-maduro","urlSafeValue":"nicolas-maduro","title":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro","titleRaw":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro"},{"id":11900,"slug":"donald-trump","urlSafeValue":"donald-trump","title":"Donald Trump","titleRaw":"Donald Trump"},{"id":450,"slug":"venezuela","urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","titleRaw":"Venezuela"}],"widgets":[],"related":[],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"VQYrYvOp6wk","dailymotionId":"x9x0f12"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"duration":60040,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":13011707,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/ED\/33\/05\/62\/04\/ED_PYR_3305624_20260103180002.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"md"},{"duration":60040,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":18663827,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/SHD\/33\/05\/62\/04\/SHD_PYR_3305624_20260103180002.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"hd"},{"duration":60040,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":48320214,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/FHD\/33\/05\/62\/04\/FHD_PYR_3305624_20260103180002.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"1080p"}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"euronews","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"nocomment","urlSafeValue":"nocomment","title":"No Comment","online":1,"url":"\/nocomment"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":4392,"urlSafeValue":"america","title":"America"},"country":{"id":298,"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","url":"\/news\/america\/venezuela"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/video\/2026\/01\/03\/venezuela-caracas-residents-stock-up-on-groceries-amid-political-uncertainty","lastModified":1767463417},{"id":2859325,"cid":9601116,"versionId":8,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"US VENEZUELA SATURDAY LIVE BLOG","daletPyramidId":3770625,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Trump says US 'will run' Venezuela until 'safe' transition","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Trump says US 'will run' Venezuela until 'safe' transition","titleListing2":"Trump says US 'will run' Venezuela until 'safe' transition","leadin":"In a surprise attack overnight on Saturday, the United States launched strikes against Venezuelan capital Caracas and other cities. US President Donald Trump stated that Nicolas Maduro and his wife were \"captured and flown out of the country\". Follow for live updates.","summary":"In a surprise attack overnight on Saturday, the United States launched strikes against Venezuelan capital Caracas and other cities. US President Donald Trump stated that Nicolas Maduro and his wife were \"captured and flown out of the country\". Follow for live updates.","keySentence":"","url":"us-strikes-venezuela-and-says-maduro-captured","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/01\/03\/us-strikes-venezuela-and-says-maduro-captured","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"US will \"run\" Venezuela until \"safe\" transition, President Donald Trump said as he hailed the operation in Caracas on Saturday dubbed \"Absolute Resolve,\" in which Nicol\u00e1s Maduro was captured and flown out of the country after months of stepped-up pressure by Washington.\n\nThe extraordinary surprise nighttime strike was announced by Trump on social media hours after the attack.\n\nIt was not immediately clear who was running the country, with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil claiming Maduro remains in charge.\n\nAt the same time, his Vice President Delcy Rodriguez was reportedly sworn in, according to Trump, while other reports claimed she left the country for Russia. Rodriguez then appeared on state-run television to state Maduro is Venezuela's \"only president\".\n\nInitial reports claimed the US has struck multiple targets in Caracas and several cities across the South American country.\n\nRevisit the latest developments in our blog below:\n\nThe United States hit Venezuela with a \u201clarge-scale strike\u201d early Saturday and said its president, Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, had been captured and flown out of the country after months of stepped-up pressure by Washington \u2014 an extraordinary nighttime operation announced by President Donald Trump on social media hours after the attack.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>US will \"run\" Venezuela until \"safe\" transition, President Donald Trump said as he hailed the operation in Caracas on Saturday dubbed \"Absolute Resolve,\" in which Nicol\u00e1s Maduro was captured and flown out of the country after months of stepped-up pressure by Washington.<\/p>\n<p>The extraordinary surprise nighttime strike was announced by Trump on social media hours after the attack.<\/p>\n<p>It was not immediately clear who was running the country, with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil claiming Maduro remains in charge. <\/p>\n<p>At the same time, his Vice President Delcy Rodriguez was reportedly sworn in, according to Trump, while other reports claimed she left the country for Russia. Rodriguez then appeared on state-run television to state Maduro is Venezuela's \"only president\".<\/p>\n<p>Initial reports claimed the US has struck multiple targets in Caracas and several cities across the South American country.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Revisit the latest developments in our blog below:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><div class=\"arena liveblog\" data-liveblog-type=\"arena\" data-id=\"c9qsVqC\">\n <div class=\"arena-liveblog\" data-publisher=\"euronews\" data-event=\"c9qsVqC\" data-version=\"2\"><\/div>\n <script data-no-lazy-load=\"true\" defer src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////go.eu.arena.im//public//js//arenalib.js?p=euronews&e=c9qsVqC\%22><\/script>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n%22,%22hashtag%22:null,%22createdAt%22:1767434758,%22updatedAt%22:1767475657,%22publishedAt%22:1767436016,%22firstPublishedAt%22:1767436016,%22lastPublishedAt%22:1767475656,%22expiresAt%22:0,%22images%22:[{%22sourceUrl%22:null,%22sourceCredit%22:null,%22callToActionUrl%22:null,%22captionCredit%22:%22AP Photo","altText":"US President Donald Trump speaks at his Mar-a-Lago club, 3 January 2026","callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"caption":"US President Donald Trump speaks at his Mar-a-Lago club, 3 January 2026","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/11\/16\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_81682f48-3405-5e79-833e-2b2664a25b03-9601116.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":683}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"brezar","twitter":"@brezaleksandar","id":2310,"title":"Aleksandar Brezar"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"donald-trump","titleRaw":"Donald Trump","id":11900,"title":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump"},{"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","titleRaw":"Venezuela","id":450,"title":"Venezuela","slug":"venezuela"},{"urlSafeValue":"nicolas-maduro","titleRaw":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro","id":11588,"title":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro","slug":"nicolas-maduro"}],"widgets":[{"count":1,"slug":"arena","blogSlug":"c9qsVqC"}],"related":[],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"dailymotionId":"x9x0nfu"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"duration":90000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":15685399,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/ED\/33\/06\/20\/01\/ED_PYR_3306201_20260103210740.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"md"},{"duration":90000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":22764603,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/SHD\/33\/06\/20\/01\/SHD_PYR_3306201_20260103210740.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"hd"},{"duration":90000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":70957016,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/FHD\/33\/06\/20\/01\/FHD_PYR_3306201_20260103210740.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"1080p"}],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"news","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":1,"title":"News","slug":"news"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":4392,"urlSafeValue":"america","title":"America"},"country":{"id":298,"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","url":"\/news\/america\/venezuela"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"liveblogging","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/2026\/01\/03\/us-strikes-venezuela-and-says-maduro-captured","lastModified":1767475656},{"id":2859313,"cid":9601092,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"NC1 CARACAS EXPLOSION","daletPyramidId":3770208,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Videos show explosions in Venezuela's capital Caracas","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":null,"titleListing2":"Videos show explosions in Venezuela's capital Caracas","leadin":"Videos showed explosions in Venezuela's capital Caracas and the coastal city of Higuerote in the early hours of Saturday.","summary":"Videos showed explosions in Venezuela's capital Caracas and the coastal city of Higuerote in the early hours of Saturday.","keySentence":"","url":"videos-show-explosions-in-venezuelas-capital-caracas","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/01\/03\/videos-show-explosions-in-venezuelas-capital-caracas","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"At least seven explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard around 2 am local time Saturday in Venezuela\u2019s capital, Caracas.\n\nImages showed smoke rising over the capital, including at La Carlota airport, after explosions were heard overnight.\n\nSmoke could be seen rising from the hangar of a military base in Caracas. Another military installation in the capital was without power.\n\nPeople in various neighborhoods rushed to the streets. Some could be seen in the distance from various areas of Caracas.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>At least seven explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard around 2 am local time Saturday in Venezuela\u2019s capital, Caracas.<\/p>\n<p>Images showed smoke rising over the capital, including at La Carlota airport, after explosions were heard overnight.<\/p>\n<p>Smoke could be seen rising from the hangar of a military base in Caracas. Another military installation in the capital was without power.<\/p>\n<p>People in various neighborhoods rushed to the streets. Some could be seen in the distance from various areas of Caracas.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1767427315,"updatedAt":1767428384,"publishedAt":1767428122,"firstPublishedAt":1767428122,"lastPublishedAt":1767428122,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/10\/92\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_7306d76b-ee45-50f9-a774-038958038018-9601092.jpg","altText":"Smoke raises at La Carlota airport after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas, Venezuela","caption":"Smoke raises at La Carlota airport after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas, Venezuela","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"height":1333}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":11588,"slug":"nicolas-maduro","urlSafeValue":"nicolas-maduro","title":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro","titleRaw":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro"},{"id":450,"slug":"venezuela","urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","titleRaw":"Venezuela"},{"id":516,"slug":"caracas","urlSafeValue":"caracas","title":"Caracas","titleRaw":"Caracas"},{"id":10231,"slug":"explosion","urlSafeValue":"explosion","title":"Explosion","titleRaw":"Explosion"}],"widgets":[],"related":[],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"WDH0hBB4Kdk","dailymotionId":"x9wzg48"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"duration":60000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":11374970,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/ED\/33\/03\/41\/03\/ED_PYR_3303413_20260103081227.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"md"},{"duration":60000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":15851411,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/SHD\/33\/03\/41\/03\/SHD_PYR_3303413_20260103081227.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"hd"},{"duration":60000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":48423224,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/FHD\/33\/03\/41\/03\/FHD_PYR_3303413_20260103081227.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"1080p"}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"euronews","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"nocomment","urlSafeValue":"nocomment","title":"No Comment","online":1,"url":"\/nocomment"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":4392,"urlSafeValue":"america","title":"America"},"country":{"id":298,"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","url":"\/news\/america\/venezuela"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/video\/2026\/01\/03\/videos-show-explosions-in-venezuelas-capital-caracas","lastModified":1767428122},{"id":2859295,"cid":9601045,"versionId":11,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"VENEZUELA CARACAS EXPLOSIONS","daletPyramidId":3769892,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Trump says Maduro and his wife were 'captured' amid US strikes on Venezuela","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Trump says Maduro was 'captured' amid US strikes on Venezuela","titleListing2":"Trump confirms US strikes on Venezuela and claims Maduro and his wife were \"captured\"","leadin":"US President Donald Trump says Venezuela\u2019s Nicolas Maduro has been captured after US conducted a \"large scale strike\" on the South American country.","summary":"US President Donald Trump says Venezuela\u2019s Nicolas Maduro has been captured after US conducted a \"large scale strike\" on the South American country.","keySentence":"","url":"at-least-seven-explosions-and-low-flying-aircraft-heard-in-venezuelan-capital-caracas","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/01\/03\/at-least-seven-explosions-and-low-flying-aircraft-heard-in-venezuelan-capital-caracas","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"US President Donald Trump has confirmed US strikes on Venezuela on Saturday and said President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro and his wife were \"captured and flown out of the country,\" in a post on his social media platfrom Truth Social.\n\n\"The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country,\" Trump said.\n\n\"This operation was done in conjunction with US law enforcement. Details to follow,\" he added.\n\n\"There will be a news conference today at 11 am (5 pm CET) at Mar-a-Lago. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President Donald J Trump.\"\n\nAt least seven explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard around 2 am local time Saturday in Venezuela\u2019s capital Caracas, according to initial reports.\n\nVenezuela\u2019s government accused Washington of attacking civilian and military installations in multiple states. It said attacks took place in the cities of Caracas, Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira.\n\nMeanwhile, the US Federal Aviation Administration has banned US commercial flights in Venezuelan airspace over \u201congoing military activity\u201d ahead of explosions in Caracas.\n\nEye witnesses reported explosions at several military installations in Caracas, including La Carlota, a military airfield and the main military base of Fuerte Tiuna.\n\nIn a statement, the Venezuelan government said it \"rejects, condemns, and denounces before the international community the extremely grave military aggression carried out by the current Government of the United States of America against Venezuelan territory and population.\"\n\n\"The objective of this attack is none other than to seize Venezuela\u2019s strategic resources, particularly its oil and minerals, in an attempt to forcibly break the Nation\u2019s political independence,\" it added.\n\nIn the statement the government also called on the country's \"social and political forces\" to \"activate mobilisation plans\".\n\nIt said President Maduro has signed and ordered the implementation of the \"Decree declaring a State of External Disturbance\".\n\nPeople in various neighbourhoods rushed to the streets. Some could be seen in the distance from various areas of Caracas.\n\n\u201cThe whole ground shook. This is horrible. We heard explosions and planes,\u201d said Carmen Hidalgo, a 21-year-old office worker, her voice trembling. She was walking briskly with two relatives, returning from a birthday party. \u201cWe felt like the air was hitting us.\u201d\n\nSmoke could be seen rising from the hangar of a military base in Caracas. Another military installation in the capital was without power.\n\nTrump threatened strikes on Venezuelan land for months\n\nThe blasts came as the US military has been targeting alleged drug-smuggling boats. On Friday, Venezuela said it was open to negotiating an agreement with the US to combat drug trafficking.\n\nMaduro also said in a pretaped interview aired Thursday that the US wants to force a government change in Venezuela and gain access to its vast oil reserves through the monthslong pressure campaign that began with a massive military deployment to the Caribbean Sea in August.\n\nThe CIA was behind a drone strike last week at a docking area believed to have been used by Venezuelan drug cartels in what was the first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil since the US began strikes on boats in September.\n\nTrump had already threatened for months that he could soon order strikes on targets on Venezuelan land. The US has also seized sanctioned oil tankers off the coast of Venezuela, and Trump ordered a blockade of others in a move that seemed designed to put a tighter chokehold on the South American country\u2019s economy.\n\nThe US military has been attacking boats in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean since early September.\n\nAs of Friday, the number of known boat strikes is 35 and the number of people killed is at least 115, according to numbers announced by the Trump administration.\n\nTrump has justified the boat strikes as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the US and asserted that the US is engaged in an \u201carmed conflict\u201d with drug cartels.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>US President Donald Trump has confirmed US strikes on Venezuela on Saturday and said President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro and his wife were \"captured and flown out of the country,\" in a post on his social media platfrom Truth Social.<\/p>\n<p>\"The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country,\" Trump said.<\/p>\n<p>\"This operation was done in conjunction with US law enforcement. Details to follow,\" he added.<\/p>\n<p> \"There will be a news conference today at 11 am (5 pm CET) at Mar-a-Lago. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President Donald J Trump.\"<\/p>\n<p>At least seven explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard around 2 am local time Saturday in Venezuela\u2019s capital Caracas, according to initial reports.<\/p>\n<p>Venezuela\u2019s government accused Washington of attacking civilian and military installations in multiple states. It said attacks took place in the cities of Caracas, Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2026//01//03//videos-show-explosions-in-venezuelas-capital-caracas/">Videos show explosions in Venezuela's capital Caracas<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Meanwhile, the US Federal Aviation Administration has banned US commercial flights in Venezuelan airspace over \u201congoing military activity\u201d ahead of explosions in Caracas.<\/p>\n<p>Eye witnesses reported explosions at several military installations in Caracas, including La Carlota, a military airfield and the main military base of Fuerte Tiuna.<\/p>\n<p>In a statement, the Venezuelan government said it \"rejects, condemns, and denounces before the international community the extremely grave military aggression carried out by the current Government of the United States of America against Venezuelan territory and population.\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-tweet widget--size-fullwidth widget--align-center\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio\u2014auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <div class=\"widget__tweet\" data-tweet-id=\"2007368946932945232\"><\/div>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>\"The objective of this attack is none other than to seize Venezuela\u2019s strategic resources, particularly its oil and minerals, in an attempt to forcibly break the Nation\u2019s political independence,\" it added.<\/p>\n<p>In the statement the government also called on the country's \"social and political forces\" to \"activate mobilisation plans\". <\/p>\n<p>It said President Maduro has signed and ordered the implementation of the \"Decree declaring a State of External Disturbance\".<\/p>\n<p>People in various neighbourhoods rushed to the streets. Some could be seen in the distance from various areas of Caracas.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//60//10//45//808x539_cmsv2_44f4ae50-0be2-5fe8-b97c-509972e0f331-9601045.jpg/" alt=\"Residents evacuate a building near the Miraflores presidential palace after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/10\/45\/384x256_cmsv2_44f4ae50-0be2-5fe8-b97c-509972e0f331-9601045.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/10\/45\/640x427_cmsv2_44f4ae50-0be2-5fe8-b97c-509972e0f331-9601045.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/10\/45\/750x500_cmsv2_44f4ae50-0be2-5fe8-b97c-509972e0f331-9601045.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/10\/45\/828x552_cmsv2_44f4ae50-0be2-5fe8-b97c-509972e0f331-9601045.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/10\/45\/1080x720_cmsv2_44f4ae50-0be2-5fe8-b97c-509972e0f331-9601045.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/10\/45\/1200x800_cmsv2_44f4ae50-0be2-5fe8-b97c-509972e0f331-9601045.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/10\/45\/1920x1280_cmsv2_44f4ae50-0be2-5fe8-b97c-509972e0f331-9601045.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Residents evacuate a building near the Miraflores presidential palace after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026.<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo\/Cristian Hernandez<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>\u201cThe whole ground shook. This is horrible. We heard explosions and planes,\u201d said Carmen Hidalgo, a 21-year-old office worker, her voice trembling. She was walking briskly with two relatives, returning from a birthday party. \u201cWe felt like the air was hitting us.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Smoke could be seen rising from the hangar of a military base in Caracas. Another military installation in the capital was without power.<\/p>\n<h2>Trump threatened strikes on Venezuelan land for months<\/h2>\n<p>The blasts came as the US military has been targeting alleged drug-smuggling boats. On Friday, Venezuela said it was open to negotiating an agreement with the US to combat drug trafficking.<\/p>\n<p>Maduro also said in a pretaped interview aired Thursday that the US wants to force a government change in Venezuela and gain access to its vast oil reserves through the monthslong pressure campaign that began with a massive military deployment to the Caribbean Sea in August.<\/p>\n<p>The CIA was behind a drone strike last week at a docking area believed to have been used by Venezuelan drug cartels in what was the first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil since the US began strikes on boats in September.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//60//10//45//808x539_cmsv2_f3a8bf0a-7ec5-5026-aca2-cb7ad7a5fee5-9601045.jpg/" alt=\"Soldiers guard the area around the Miraflores presidential palace after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. \" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/10\/45\/384x256_cmsv2_f3a8bf0a-7ec5-5026-aca2-cb7ad7a5fee5-9601045.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/10\/45\/640x427_cmsv2_f3a8bf0a-7ec5-5026-aca2-cb7ad7a5fee5-9601045.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/10\/45\/750x500_cmsv2_f3a8bf0a-7ec5-5026-aca2-cb7ad7a5fee5-9601045.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/10\/45\/828x552_cmsv2_f3a8bf0a-7ec5-5026-aca2-cb7ad7a5fee5-9601045.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/10\/45\/1080x720_cmsv2_f3a8bf0a-7ec5-5026-aca2-cb7ad7a5fee5-9601045.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/10\/45\/1200x800_cmsv2_f3a8bf0a-7ec5-5026-aca2-cb7ad7a5fee5-9601045.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/10\/45\/1920x1280_cmsv2_f3a8bf0a-7ec5-5026-aca2-cb7ad7a5fee5-9601045.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Soldiers guard the area around the Miraflores presidential palace after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. <\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo\/Cristian Hernandez<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Trump had already threatened for months that he could soon order strikes on targets on Venezuelan land. The US has also seized sanctioned oil tankers off the coast of Venezuela, and Trump ordered a blockade of others in a move that seemed designed to put a tighter chokehold on the South American country\u2019s economy.<\/p>\n<p>The US military has been attacking boats in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean since early September. <\/p>\n<p>As of Friday, the number of known boat strikes is 35 and the number of people killed is at least 115, according to numbers announced by the Trump administration.<\/p>\n<p>Trump has justified the boat strikes as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the US and asserted that the US is engaged in an \u201carmed conflict\u201d with drug cartels.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1767422743,"updatedAt":1767444761,"publishedAt":1767423081,"firstPublishedAt":1767423081,"lastPublishedAt":1767444760,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo\/Matias Delacroix","altText":"Smoke raises at La Carlota airport after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026.","callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"caption":"Smoke raises at La Carlota airport after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026.","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/10\/45\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_b8a6ed61-518d-543a-8281-9fefce6a5fbe-9601045.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1125},{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo\/Cristian Hernandez","altText":"Soldiers guard the area around the Miraflores presidential palace after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. ","callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"caption":"Soldiers guard the area around the Miraflores presidential palace after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. ","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/10\/45\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_f3a8bf0a-7ec5-5026-aca2-cb7ad7a5fee5-9601045.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1333},{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo\/Cristian Hernandez","altText":"Residents evacuate a building near the Miraflores presidential palace after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026.","callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"caption":"Residents evacuate a building near the Miraflores presidential palace after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026.","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/10\/45\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_44f4ae50-0be2-5fe8-b97c-509972e0f331-9601045.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1333}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"emma.de-ruiter@euronews.com","twitter":null,"id":3513,"title":"Emma De Ruiter"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"nicolas-maduro","titleRaw":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro","id":11588,"title":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro","slug":"nicolas-maduro"},{"urlSafeValue":"donald-trump","titleRaw":"Donald Trump","id":11900,"title":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump"}],"widgets":[{"count":2,"slug":"image"},{"count":1,"slug":"twitter"},{"count":1,"slug":"related"}],"related":[{"id":2858996},{"id":2858144},{"id":2856991}],"technicalTags":[{"path":"euronews.connatix.no-player"},{"path":"euronews.connatix"},{"path":"euronews"}],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"zHzlM-jLV44","dailymotionId":"x9wzrpg"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"duration":82000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":15019706,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/ED\/33\/03\/93\/01\/ED_PYR_3303931_20260103113805.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"md"},{"duration":82000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":21316912,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/SHD\/33\/03\/93\/01\/SHD_PYR_3303931_20260103113805.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"hd"},{"duration":82000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":64733971,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/FHD\/33\/03\/93\/01\/FHD_PYR_3303931_20260103113805.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"1080p"}],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"AP","additionalReporting":"","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"news","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":1,"title":"News","slug":"news"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"urlSafeValue":"america","id":4392,"title":"America"},"country":{"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","id":298,"title":"Venezuela","url":"\/news\/america\/venezuela"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/2026\/01\/03\/at-least-seven-explosions-and-low-flying-aircraft-heard-in-venezuelan-capital-caracas","lastModified":1767444760},{"id":2859043,"cid":9600163,"versionId":2,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"MADURO OPEN TO US TALKS","daletPyramidId":3762116,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Maduro open to US talks on drug trafficking but silent on narcoboat strikes","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Maduro open to US talks on drug trade but silent on narcoboat strikes","titleListing2":"Maduro suggests Venezuela is open to talks on drug trafficking with the US despite military strikes","leadin":"Venezuela\u2019s Nicolas Maduro says Caracas is ready to engage in constructive dialogue with Washington to combat drug trafficking amid continued pressure and military strikes from the Trump administration.","summary":"Venezuela\u2019s Nicolas Maduro says Caracas is ready to engage in constructive dialogue with Washington to combat drug trafficking amid continued pressure and military strikes from the Trump administration.","keySentence":"","url":"maduro-suggests-venezuela-is-open-to-talks-on-drug-trafficking-with-the-us-despite-militar","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/01\/02\/maduro-suggests-venezuela-is-open-to-talks-on-drug-trafficking-with-the-us-despite-militar","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Thursday he is willing to negotiate an agreement to combat drug trafficking with the United States but declined to comment on last week\u2019s US strikes on a docking port.\n\nMaduro reiterated that Washington wants to force a government change in Venezuela and gain access to his country\u2019s vast oil reserves, through the months-long pressure campaign, which began with a major military deployment in the Caribbean Sea in August.\n\n\u201cWhat are they seeking? It is clear that they seek to impose themselves through threats, intimidation and force,\u201d Maduro said in a pre-recorded interview aired on state-run television, later adding that it is time for both nations to \u201cstart talking seriously, with data in hand.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe US government knows, because we\u2019ve told many of their spokespeople, that if they want to seriously discuss an agreement to combat drug trafficking, we\u2019re ready,\u201d stressed Maduro.\n\n\u201cIf they want oil, Venezuela is ready for US investment, like with Chevron, whenever they want it, wherever they want it and however they want it.\u201d\n\nChevron is the only major oil company exporting Venezuelan crude to the United States. Venezuela has the world\u2019s largest proven oil reserves.\n\nThe interview was taped on New Year\u2019s Eve, the same day the US military announced strikes against five alleged drug-smuggling boats.\n\nThe latest attacks bring the total number of known narcoboat strikes to 35 and the number of people killed to at least 115, according to numbers announced by the Trump administration. Venezuelans are among the victims of those strikes.\n\nUS President Donald Trump has explained the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the US and asserted that Washington is engaged in an \u201carmed conflict\u201d with drug cartels.\n\nThe strikes began off Venezuela\u2019s Caribbean coast and later expanded to the eastern Pacific Ocean.\n\nMeanwhile, the CIA was behind a drone strike last week at a docking area believed by the Trump administration to have been used by Venezuelan drug cartels.\n\nIt was the first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil since the boat strikes began, marking a significant escalation in Trump\u2019s pressure campaign on Maduro, who has been charged with narco-terrorism in the US, and has a $50 million (\u20ac42.5 million) bounty for his capture.\n\nAsked about the operation on Venezuelan soil, the Venezuelan president declined to comment on the incident, but indicated that he could \u201ctalk about it in a few days.\u201d\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Thursday he is willing to negotiate an agreement to combat drug trafficking with the United States but declined to comment on last week\u2019s US strikes on a docking port.<\/p>\n<p>Maduro reiterated that Washington wants to force a government change in Venezuela and gain access to his country\u2019s vast oil reserves, through the months-long pressure campaign, which began with a major military deployment in the Caribbean Sea in August.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat are they seeking? It is clear that they seek to impose themselves through threats, intimidation and force,\u201d Maduro said in a pre-recorded interview aired on state-run television, later adding that it is time for both nations to \u201cstart talking seriously, with data in hand.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe US government knows, because we\u2019ve told many of their spokespeople, that if they want to seriously discuss an agreement to combat drug trafficking, we\u2019re ready,\u201d stressed Maduro.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf they want oil, Venezuela is ready for US investment, like with Chevron, whenever they want it, wherever they want it and however they want it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Chevron is the only major oil company exporting Venezuelan crude to the United States. Venezuela has the world\u2019s largest proven oil reserves.<\/p>\n<p>The interview was taped on New Year\u2019s Eve, the same day the US military announced strikes against five alleged drug-smuggling boats.<\/p>\n<p>The latest attacks bring the total number of known narcoboat strikes to 35 and the number of people killed to at least 115, according to numbers announced by the Trump administration. Venezuelans are among the victims of those strikes.<\/p>\n<p>US President Donald Trump has explained the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the US and asserted that Washington is engaged in an \u201carmed conflict\u201d with drug cartels.<\/p>\n<p>The strikes began off Venezuela\u2019s Caribbean coast and later expanded to the eastern Pacific Ocean.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2025//12//31//crew-paints-russian-flag-on-iran-linked-tanker-pursued-by-us/">Crew paints Russian flag on Iran-linked tanker pursued by US<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2026//01//01//us-strikes-more-alleged-drug-boats-killing-at-least-eight-southern-command-says/">US strikes five more alleged narcoboats killing at least eight<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Meanwhile, the CIA was behind a drone strike last week at a docking area believed by the Trump administration to have been used by Venezuelan drug cartels.<\/p>\n<p>It was the first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil since the boat strikes began, marking a significant escalation in Trump\u2019s pressure campaign on Maduro, who has been charged with narco-terrorism in the US, and has a $50 million (\u20ac42.5 million) bounty for his capture.<\/p>\n<p>Asked about the operation on Venezuelan soil, the Venezuelan president declined to comment on the incident, but indicated that he could \u201ctalk about it in a few days.\u201d<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1767330485,"updatedAt":1767343680,"publishedAt":1767331698,"firstPublishedAt":1767331698,"lastPublishedAt":1767343679,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Ariana Cubillos\/Copyright 2025 The AP. All rights reserved","altText":"FILE: President Nicolas Maduro addresses supporters during a rally marking the anniversary of the Battle of Santa Ines, in Caracas, 10 December 2025","callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"caption":"FILE: President Nicolas Maduro addresses supporters during a rally marking the anniversary of the Battle of Santa Ines, in Caracas, 10 December 2025","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/57\/90\/68\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_6bb1b792-271b-5f66-aec4-5430b0ee8f1a-9579068.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":683}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"fouda","twitter":"themalekfouda","id":3270,"title":"Malek Fouda"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","titleRaw":"Venezuela","id":450,"title":"Venezuela","slug":"venezuela"},{"urlSafeValue":"united-states","titleRaw":"United States ","id":13363,"title":"United States ","slug":"united-states"},{"urlSafeValue":"nicolas-maduro","titleRaw":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro","id":11588,"title":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro","slug":"nicolas-maduro"},{"urlSafeValue":"donald-trump","titleRaw":"Donald Trump","id":11900,"title":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump"},{"urlSafeValue":"drug-trafficking","titleRaw":"Drug-trafficking","id":9515,"title":"Drug-trafficking","slug":"drug-trafficking"},{"urlSafeValue":"strike","titleRaw":"Strike","id":7854,"title":"Strike","slug":"strike"}],"widgets":[{"count":1,"slug":"related"}],"related":[],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"AP","additionalReporting":"","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"news","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":1,"title":"News","slug":"news"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":4392,"urlSafeValue":"america","title":"America"},"country":{"id":298,"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","url":"\/news\/america\/venezuela"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/2026\/01\/02\/maduro-suggests-venezuela-is-open-to-talks-on-drug-trafficking-with-the-us-despite-militar","lastModified":1767343679},{"id":2858996,"cid":9599986,"versionId":3,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"Two boat sunk in Venezuela - ES Team","daletPyramidId":3760720,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"US strikes five more alleged narcoboats killing at least eight","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"US strikes five more alleged narcoboats killing at least eight","titleListing2":"US strikes five more alleged narcoboats killing at least eight","leadin":"The latest attacks bring the total number of known boat strikes to 35 and the number of people killed to at least 115 since early September, according to official figures.","summary":"The latest attacks bring the total number of known boat strikes to 35 and the number of people killed to at least 115 since early September, according to official figures.","keySentence":"","url":"us-strikes-more-alleged-drug-boats-killing-at-least-eight-southern-command-says","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/01\/01\/us-strikes-more-alleged-drug-boats-killing-at-least-eight-southern-command-says","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"The US military struck five alleged drug-smuggling boats over two days, killing a total of eight people while others jumped overboard and may have survived, US Southern Command said in a social media post on Thursday.\n\nUS Southern Command, which oversees South America, did not disclose the locations of the attacks on Tuesday and Wednesday.\u00a0\n\nSimilar attacks have occurred in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean.\n\nA video of Tuesday's attack posted by Southern Command on social media shows three boats travelling in a close formation, which is unusual, and the military said they were in a convoy along known narco-trafficking routes and \"had transferred narcotics between the three vessels prior to the strikes.\"\n\nThe military did not provide evidence to back up the claim.\n\nThe military said three people were killed when the first boat was struck, while people in the other two boats jumped overboard and distanced themselves from the vessels before they were attacked.\n\nSouthern Command said it immediately notified the US Coast Guard to activate search and rescue efforts.\n\nSouthern Command's statement did not say whether those who jumped off the boats were rescued.\n\nCalling in the Coast Guard is notable because the US military drew heavy scrutiny after its forces killed the survivors of an attack in early September with a follow-up strike to their disabled boat.\n\nSome Democrat lawmakers and legal experts said the military committed a crime, while the Trump administration and some Republican lawmakers say the follow-up strike was legal.\n\nUS forces attacked two further boats on Wednesday, killing five people who were allegedly smuggling drugs along known trafficking routes, US Southern Command said in a separate statement.\n\nIt did not provide evidence of the alleged trafficking or reveal the body of water in which the attacks occurred. Videos posted with the statement on social media showed a boat in the water and explosions.\n\nThe latest attacks bring the total number of known boat strikes to 35 and the number of people killed to at least 115 since early September, according to numbers announced by the Trump administration.\n\nUS President Donald Trump has\u00a0justified the attacks\u00a0as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the country and asserted that the US is engaged in an\u00a0\"armed conflict\" with drug cartels.\n\nAlong with the strikes, the Trump administration has built up military forces in the region as part of an escalating pressure campaign on Venezuelan President\u00a0Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, who has been charged with narco-terrorism in the United States.\n\nMeanwhile, the CIA was behind\u00a0a drone strike last week\u00a0at a docking area believed to have been used by Venezuelan drug cartels, according to two people familiar with details of the operation who requested anonymity to discuss the classified matter.\n\nIt was the first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil since the US began strikes in September, a significant escalation in the administration\u2019s\u00a0pressure campaign against Maduro\u2019s government.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>The US military struck five alleged drug-smuggling boats over two days, killing a total of eight people while others jumped overboard and may have survived, US Southern Command said in a social media post on Thursday.<\/p>\n<p>US Southern Command, which oversees South America, did not disclose the locations of the attacks on Tuesday and Wednesday. <\/p>\n<p>Similar attacks have occurred in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean.<\/p>\n<p>A video of Tuesday's attack posted by Southern Command on social media shows three boats travelling in a close formation, which is unusual, and the military said they were in a convoy along known narco-trafficking routes and \"had transferred narcotics between the three vessels prior to the strikes.\"<\/p>\n<p>The military did not provide evidence to back up the claim.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-tweet widget--size-fullwidth widget--align-center\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio\u2014auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <div class=\"widget__tweet\" data-tweet-id=\"2006531145844867143\"><\/div>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>The military said three people were killed when the first boat was struck, while people in the other two boats jumped overboard and distanced themselves from the vessels before they were attacked.<\/p>\n<p>Southern Command said it immediately notified the US Coast Guard to activate search and rescue efforts.<\/p>\n<p>Southern Command's statement did not say whether those who jumped off the boats were rescued.<\/p>\n<p>Calling in the Coast Guard is notable because the US military drew heavy scrutiny after its forces killed the survivors of an attack in early September with a follow-up strike to their disabled boat.<\/p>\n<p>Some Democrat lawmakers and legal experts said the military committed a crime, while the Trump administration and some Republican lawmakers say the follow-up strike was legal.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//59//99//86//808x539_cmsv2_a8cee743-2e62-54ee-b4ce-d39f54a93229-9599986.jpg/" alt=\"US President Donald Trump speaks at a New Year's Eve celebration at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, 31 December, 2025\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/99\/86\/384x256_cmsv2_a8cee743-2e62-54ee-b4ce-d39f54a93229-9599986.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/99\/86\/640x427_cmsv2_a8cee743-2e62-54ee-b4ce-d39f54a93229-9599986.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/99\/86\/750x500_cmsv2_a8cee743-2e62-54ee-b4ce-d39f54a93229-9599986.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/99\/86\/828x552_cmsv2_a8cee743-2e62-54ee-b4ce-d39f54a93229-9599986.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/99\/86\/1080x720_cmsv2_a8cee743-2e62-54ee-b4ce-d39f54a93229-9599986.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/99\/86\/1200x800_cmsv2_a8cee743-2e62-54ee-b4ce-d39f54a93229-9599986.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/99\/86\/1920x1280_cmsv2_a8cee743-2e62-54ee-b4ce-d39f54a93229-9599986.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">US President Donald Trump speaks at a New Year's Eve celebration at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, 31 December, 2025<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>US forces attacked two further boats on Wednesday, killing five people who were allegedly smuggling drugs along known trafficking routes, US Southern Command said in a separate statement.<\/p>\n<p>It did not provide evidence of the alleged trafficking or reveal the body of water in which the attacks occurred. Videos posted with the statement on social media showed a boat in the water and explosions.<\/p>\n<p>The latest attacks bring the total number of known boat strikes to 35 and the number of people killed to at least 115 since early September, according to numbers announced by the Trump administration.<\/p>\n<p>US President Donald Trump has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the country and asserted that the US is engaged in an \"armed conflict\" with drug cartels.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//59//99//86//808x539_cmsv2_223e11db-c771-5c1a-8cf4-a4924164fcc2-9599986.jpg/" alt=\"Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro joins a rally a rally marking the anniversary of the Battle of Santa Ines in Caracas, 10 December, 2025\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/99\/86\/384x256_cmsv2_223e11db-c771-5c1a-8cf4-a4924164fcc2-9599986.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/99\/86\/640x427_cmsv2_223e11db-c771-5c1a-8cf4-a4924164fcc2-9599986.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/99\/86\/750x500_cmsv2_223e11db-c771-5c1a-8cf4-a4924164fcc2-9599986.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/99\/86\/828x552_cmsv2_223e11db-c771-5c1a-8cf4-a4924164fcc2-9599986.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/99\/86\/1080x720_cmsv2_223e11db-c771-5c1a-8cf4-a4924164fcc2-9599986.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/99\/86\/1200x800_cmsv2_223e11db-c771-5c1a-8cf4-a4924164fcc2-9599986.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/99\/86\/1920x1280_cmsv2_223e11db-c771-5c1a-8cf4-a4924164fcc2-9599986.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro joins a rally a rally marking the anniversary of the Battle of Santa Ines in Caracas, 10 December, 2025<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Along with the strikes, the Trump administration has built up military forces in the region as part of an escalating pressure campaign on Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, who has been charged with narco-terrorism in the United States.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, the CIA was behind a drone strike last week at a docking area believed to have been used by Venezuelan drug cartels, according to two people familiar with details of the operation who requested anonymity to discuss the classified matter.<\/p>\n<p>It was the first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil since the US began strikes in September, a significant escalation in the administration\u2019s pressure campaign against Maduro\u2019s government.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1767289671,"updatedAt":1767305014,"publishedAt":1767297535,"firstPublishedAt":1767297535,"lastPublishedAt":1767305013,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"X.com Southcom","altText":"US ends up with two narco-boats and 5 lives","callToActionText":null,"width":1782,"caption":"US ends up with two narco-boats and 5 lives","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/99\/86\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_144221e4-2290-59cf-8a07-104b4ae4c1e3-9599986.jpg","captionUrl":"https:\/\/x.com\/Southcom\/status\/2006531145844867143","height":1002},{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","altText":"Venezuela\u2019s President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro joins a rally a rally marking the anniversary of the Battle of Santa Ines in Caracas, 10 December, 2025","callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"caption":"Venezuela\u2019s President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro joins a rally a rally marking the anniversary of the Battle of Santa Ines in Caracas, 10 December, 2025","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/99\/86\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_223e11db-c771-5c1a-8cf4-a4924164fcc2-9599986.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1333},{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","altText":"US President Donald Trump speaks at a New Year's Eve celebration at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, 31 December, 2025","callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"caption":"US President Donald Trump speaks at a New Year's Eve celebration at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, 31 December, 2025","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/99\/86\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_a8cee743-2e62-54ee-b4ce-d39f54a93229-9599986.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1333}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"maturana","twitter":"matutweet","id":2908,"title":"Jes\u00fas Maturana"},{"urlSafeValue":"blackburn","twitter":null,"id":2972,"title":"Gavin Blackburn"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"usa","titleRaw":"USA","id":447,"title":"USA","slug":"usa"},{"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","titleRaw":"Venezuela","id":450,"title":"Venezuela","slug":"venezuela"},{"urlSafeValue":"narcotrafico","titleRaw":"Narcotr\u00e1fico","id":15170,"title":"Narcotr\u00e1fico","slug":"narcotrafico"},{"urlSafeValue":"airstrike","titleRaw":"Airstrike","id":15554,"title":"Airstrike","slug":"airstrike"}],"widgets":[{"count":2,"slug":"image"},{"count":1,"slug":"twitter"}],"related":[{"id":2844658},{"id":2856756},{"id":2858144}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"AP","additionalReporting":"","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"news","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":1,"title":"News","slug":"news"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":4392,"urlSafeValue":"america","title":"America"},"country":{"id":298,"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","url":"\/news\/america\/venezuela"},"town":{"id":516,"urlSafeValue":"caracas-venezuela","title":"Caracas, Venezuela"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":{"id":1,"slug":"deepl","isActive":1},"localisation":{"producerLanguage":"es","storyId":9599968,"online":1},"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":1,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/2026\/01\/01\/us-strikes-more-alleged-drug-boats-killing-at-least-eight-southern-command-says","lastModified":1767305013},{"id":2858921,"cid":9599718,"versionId":3,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"Dollar value skyrockets in Venezuela","daletPyramidId":3757722,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Venezuelan bol\u00edvar\u2013dollar rate jumps to nearly 480% as sanctions bite deepens","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Venezuelan bol\u00edvar\u2013dollar rate jumps to nearly 480% as sanctions bite","titleListing2":"Venezuelan bol\u00edvar\u2013dollar rate jumps to nearly 480% as sanctions bite deepens","leadin":"With the bol\u00edvar down sharply and access to official dollar rates limited, most Venezuelans now turn to crypto-based markets for foreign currency amid sanctions and persistent inflation.","summary":"With the bol\u00edvar down sharply and access to official dollar rates limited, most Venezuelans now turn to crypto-based markets for foreign currency amid sanctions and persistent inflation.","keySentence":"","url":"venezuelan-bolivardollar-rate-jumps-nearly-480-as-sanctions-bite-deepens","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/business\/2026\/01\/01\/venezuelan-bolivardollar-rate-jumps-nearly-480-as-sanctions-bite-deepens","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Rising tensions between the United States and Venezuela, including tighter sanctions linked to Venezuela\u2019s oil trade, come as the country\u2019s currency continues to slide, with the official cost of buying a US dollar rising by nearly 480% over the past 12 months.\n\nVenezuela\u2019s central bank on Wednesday set the official exchange rate at 301.37 bol\u00edvars to the US dollar, a rate in effect until January 2 \u2014 compared to a rate of 52.02 bol\u00edvars to the dollar at the start of 2025, highlighting the extent to which the local currency has lost value.\n\nBut the official rate is only part of the story. In reality, most Venezuelans and businesses cannot access dollars at the government rate so they are often forced to turn to unregulated channels on the black market.\n\nOn the black market, where prices are largely determined through crypto-based exchange platforms, the dollar is trading close to 560 bol\u00edvars \u2014 a gap of at least 85% compared with the official rate.\n\nIt is estimated that over two-thirds of Venezuela\u2019s currency exchanges now take place through such platforms. Access to dollars at the government rate remains limited, forcing businesses and households to rely on the parallel market, where the currency is significantly weaker.\n\nThe widening gap between the two rates has tangible effects on daily life. Prices for food, rent, transport and imported goods are typically set using the black-market rate, while many salaries continue to be paid in bol\u00edvars, steadily eroding real incomes even when wages are adjusted in nominal terms.\n\nCrypto-based exchanges as a means of stability\n\nOver time, Venezuela has become increasingly dollarised as a way of coping with inflation and currency instability.\n\nWith banks and official exchange mechanisms subject to tight controls, crypto platforms have emerged as a widely used yet informal marketplace for dollars, providing liquidity in an economy where access to hard currency is constrained.\n\nPresident Nicol\u00e1s Maduro has claimed economic growth of nearly 9% in 2025, but estimates from private firms suggest inflation could exceed 500 percent this year. Official inflation data has not been published since October 2024.\n\nHard currency shortages, meaning limited access to physical currency bills and coins, have added further pressure on the bol\u00edvar, a problem compounded by Venezuela\u2019s prolonged standoff with Washington. The country has been under a US oil embargo since 2019.\n\nAs sanctions have tightened and oil shipments have been seized, Venezuela has increasingly exported crude through unofficial channels at steep discounts, additionally limiting dollar inflows and reinforcing the cycle of currency depreciation and rising inflation.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Rising tensions between the United States and Venezuela, including tighter sanctions linked to Venezuela\u2019s oil trade, come as the country\u2019s currency continues to slide, with the official cost of buying a US dollar rising by nearly 480% over the past 12 months.<\/p>\n<p>Venezuela\u2019s central bank on Wednesday set the official exchange rate at 301.37 bol\u00edvars to the US dollar, a rate in effect until January 2 \u2014 compared to a rate of 52.02 bol\u00edvars to the dollar at the start of 2025, highlighting the extent to which the local currency has lost value.<\/p>\n<p>But the official rate is only part of the story. In reality, most Venezuelans and businesses cannot access dollars at the government rate so they are often forced to turn to unregulated channels on the black market.<\/p>\n<p>On the black market, where prices are largely determined through crypto-based exchange platforms, the dollar is trading close to 560 bol\u00edvars \u2014 a gap of at least 85% compared with the official rate. <\/p>\n<p>It is estimated that over two-thirds of Venezuela\u2019s currency exchanges now take place through such platforms. Access to dollars at the government rate remains limited, forcing businesses and households to rely on the parallel market, where the currency is significantly weaker.<\/p>\n<p>The widening gap between the two rates has tangible effects on daily life. Prices for food, rent, transport and imported goods are typically set using the black-market rate, while many salaries continue to be paid in bol\u00edvars, steadily eroding real incomes even when wages are adjusted in nominal terms.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2025//12//23//year-of-the-metals-venezuela-tensions-send-gold-and-silver-soaring/">Year of the metals: Venezuela tensions send gold and silver soaring<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2025//12//29//explainer-why-chevron-still-operates-in-venezuela-despite-us-sanctions/">Explainer: Why Chevron still operates in Venezuela despite US sanctions<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>Crypto-based exchanges as a means of stability<\/h2>\n<p>Over time, Venezuela has become increasingly dollarised as a way of coping with inflation and currency instability.<\/p>\n<p>With banks and official exchange mechanisms subject to tight controls, crypto platforms have emerged as a widely used yet informal marketplace for dollars, providing liquidity in an economy where access to hard currency is constrained.<\/p>\n<p>President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro has claimed economic growth of nearly 9% in 2025, but estimates from private firms suggest inflation could exceed 500 percent this year. Official inflation data has not been published since October 2024.<\/p>\n<p>Hard currency shortages, meaning limited access to physical currency bills and coins, have added further pressure on the bol\u00edvar, a problem compounded by Venezuela\u2019s prolonged standoff with Washington. The country has been under a US oil embargo since 2019.<\/p>\n<p>As sanctions have tightened and oil shipments have been seized, Venezuela has increasingly exported crude through unofficial channels at steep discounts, additionally limiting dollar inflows and reinforcing the cycle of currency depreciation and rising inflation.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1767270114,"updatedAt":1767275449,"publishedAt":1767275226,"firstPublishedAt":1767275226,"lastPublishedAt":1767275449,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Eraldo Peres\/Copyright 2018 The AP. All rights reserved","altText":"FILE - On 10 January 2019, Venezuelan citizens living in Brazil hold signs that read in Spanish \"S.O.S. Venezuela. Don't leave us alone,\" left, and \"Maduro. Illegitimate.\" ","callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"caption":"FILE - On 10 January 2019, Venezuelan citizens living in Brazil hold signs that read in Spanish \"S.O.S. Venezuela. Don't leave us alone,\" left, and \"Maduro. Illegitimate.\" ","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/97\/18\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_14a34d29-f73a-56ab-9633-10885baef676-9599718.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":683}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"hajdari","twitter":null,"id":3408,"title":"Una Hajdari"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","titleRaw":"Venezuela","id":450,"title":"Venezuela","slug":"venezuela"},{"urlSafeValue":"nicolas-maduro","titleRaw":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro","id":11588,"title":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro","slug":"nicolas-maduro"},{"urlSafeValue":"embargo","titleRaw":"Embargo","id":8941,"title":"Embargo","slug":"embargo"},{"urlSafeValue":"dollar-exchange","titleRaw":"Dollar Exchange","id":23602,"title":"Dollar Exchange","slug":"dollar-exchange"}],"widgets":[{"count":1,"slug":"related"}],"related":[{"id":2858562},{"id":2858144},{"id":2856991}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"economy","urlSafeValue":"economy","title":"Economy","online":0,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/business\/economy\/economy"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"business","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"business","id":11,"title":"Business","slug":"business"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":11,"slug":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"economy","id":"economy","title":"Economy","url":"\/business\/economy"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":72,"urlSafeValue":"economy","title":"Economy"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":4392,"urlSafeValue":"america","title":"America"},"country":{"id":298,"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","url":"\/news\/america\/venezuela"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/business\/2026\/01\/01\/venezuelan-bolivardollar-rate-jumps-nearly-480-as-sanctions-bite-deepens","lastModified":1767275449},{"id":2858562,"cid":9598676,"versionId":3,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"IRAN TANKER US VENEZUELA","daletPyramidId":3748135,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Crew paints Russian flag on Iran-linked tanker pursued by US","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Crew paints Russian flag on Iran-linked tanker pursued by US","titleListing2":"Crew paints Russian flag on Iran-linked tanker pursued by US","leadin":"The operation by the US Coast Guard to seize the sanctioned tanker Bella 1 became more complicated after the crew painted a Russian flag, claiming Moscow's protection, during a 10-day Atlantic pursuit. The vessel linked to the Iranian oil trade is reportedly now empty.","summary":"The operation by the US Coast Guard to seize the sanctioned tanker Bella 1 became more complicated after the crew painted a Russian flag, claiming Moscow's protection, during a 10-day Atlantic pursuit. The vessel linked to the Iranian oil trade is reportedly now empty.","keySentence":"","url":"crew-paints-russian-flag-on-iran-linked-tanker-pursued-by-us","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/12\/31\/crew-paints-russian-flag-on-iran-linked-tanker-pursued-by-us","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Washington's efforts to board an oil tanker in the Atlantic have become complicated after its crew painted a Russian flag on the ship's side, US officials said Tuesday.\n\nThe Bella 1 has evaded the Coast Guard for more than 10 days since refusing an interception attempt near Venezuela on 21 December.\n\nThe crew applied a Russian tricolour to the hull and now asserts the vessel operates under Russian authority, according to US media reports.\n\nWashington had obtained a court order permitting seizure based on the tanker's history of moving Iranian crude, but the flag complicates enforcement under maritime law.\n\nThe vessel was approaching Venezuela without cargo when Coast Guard personnel moved to board. Instead of stopping, the ship reversed direction and headed into open ocean.\n\nUS Coast Guard tracked the tanker at roughly 800 metres distance while Washington determines the vessel's legal status through diplomatic channels.\n\nThe UN Convention on the Law of the Sea permits authorities to board ships flying false flags or operating without valid registration. If Russia formally registered Bella 1, forcible boarding could trigger diplomatic tensions.\n\nThe US Treasury sanctioned the tanker in 2024 for allegedly moving Iranian oil on behalf of Hezbollah, Yemen's Houthis and Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps.\n\nTurkey-based Louis Marine Shipholding Enterprises owns the vessel. Most crew members come from Russia, India and Ukraine, one official said.\n\nDestination Cura\u00e7ao and abrupt course change\n\nMaritime tracking shows Bella 1 loaded Iranian crude at Kharg Island in September before disabling its location transponder near the Strait of Hormuz, according to analytics firm Kpler.\n\nThe ship remained undetected for two months. When signals resumed, the tanker was empty, suggesting it transferred cargo at sea to other vessels.\n\nBella 1 crossed into the Atlantic in early December and initially declared Cura\u00e7ao as its destination. After US forces seized another tanker on 10 December, Bella 1 abruptly changed course.\n\nThe vessel's transponder has been off since 17 December. Officials believe it may be heading towards Iceland or Greenland based on its northwest trajectory.\n\nWashington is assembling a Maritime Special Response Team capable of boarding vessels by force, including rappelling from helicopters onto hostile ships.\n\nUS President Donald Trump said Monday authorities will capture the tanker. \"We'll end up getting it,\" he told reporters in Florida.\n\nThe pursuit marks the third such operation this month. US Coast Guard forces successfully intercepted two other tankers carrying Venezuelan crude, escorting both to Texas.\n\nTankers and narcoboats targeted\n\nWashington has deployed its largest military presence in the region in decades and conducted strikes against suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean.\n\nTrump ordered a blockade of sanctioned tankers trading with Venezuela on 17 December, aiming to cut off President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro's primary revenue source.\n\nTrump claimed Venezuela was \"completely surrounded by the largest armada ever assembled in the history of South America\" and demanded the country return \"all of the oil, land, and other assets that they previously stole from us.\"\n\nVenezuela's government called the seizures acts of piracy.\n\nEarlier in December, Maduro denounced on Telegram the \"campaign of aggression that goes from psychological terrorism to corsairs attacking oil tankers.\"\n\nVice President Delcy Rodr\u00edguez said Caracas would report the operations to the UN Security Council.\n\nRussia has been using its own shadow fleet of vessels, which employ opaque ownership structures, flags of convenience, and irregular shipping practices to transport Russian oil and circumvent Western sanctions following its all-out invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.\n\nThe fleet of hundreds of often ageing vessels has been crucial to Russia's ability to continue exporting oil and funding its war effort.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Washington's efforts to board an oil tanker in the Atlantic have become complicated after its crew painted a Russian flag on the ship's side, US officials said Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>The Bella 1 has evaded the Coast Guard for more than 10 days since refusing an interception attempt near Venezuela on 21 December.<\/p>\n<p>The crew applied a Russian tricolour to the hull and now asserts the vessel operates under Russian authority, according to US media reports.<\/p>\n<p>Washington had obtained a court order permitting seizure based on the tanker's history of moving Iranian crude, but the flag complicates enforcement under maritime law.<\/p>\n<p>The vessel was approaching Venezuela without cargo when Coast Guard personnel moved to board. Instead of stopping, the ship reversed direction and headed into open ocean.<\/p>\n<p>US Coast Guard tracked the tanker at roughly 800 metres distance while Washington determines the vessel's legal status through diplomatic channels.<\/p>\n<p>The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea permits authorities to board ships flying false flags or operating without valid registration. If Russia formally registered Bella 1, forcible boarding could trigger diplomatic tensions.<\/p>\n<p>The US Treasury sanctioned the tanker in 2024 for allegedly moving Iranian oil on behalf of Hezbollah, Yemen's Houthis and Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps.<\/p>\n<p>Turkey-based Louis Marine Shipholding Enterprises owns the vessel. Most crew members come from Russia, India and Ukraine, one official said.<\/p>\n<h2>Destination Cura\u00e7ao and abrupt course change<\/h2>\n<p>Maritime tracking shows Bella 1 loaded Iranian crude at Kharg Island in September before disabling its location transponder near the Strait of Hormuz, according to analytics firm Kpler.<\/p>\n<p>The ship remained undetected for two months. When signals resumed, the tanker was empty, suggesting it transferred cargo at sea to other vessels.<\/p>\n<p>Bella 1 crossed into the Atlantic in early December and initially declared Cura\u00e7ao as its destination. After US forces seized another tanker on 10 December, Bella 1 abruptly changed course.<\/p>\n<p>The vessel's transponder has been off since 17 December. Officials believe it may be heading towards Iceland or Greenland based on its northwest trajectory.<\/p>\n<p>Washington is assembling a Maritime Special Response Team capable of boarding vessels by force, including rappelling from helicopters onto hostile ships.<\/p>\n<p>US President Donald Trump said Monday authorities will capture the tanker. \"We'll end up getting it,\" he told reporters in Florida.<\/p>\n<p>The pursuit marks the third such operation this month. US Coast Guard forces successfully intercepted two other tankers carrying Venezuelan crude, escorting both to Texas.<\/p>\n<h2>Tankers and narcoboats targeted<\/h2>\n<p>Washington has deployed its largest military presence in the region in decades and conducted strikes against suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean.<\/p>\n<p>Trump ordered a blockade of sanctioned tankers trading with Venezuela on 17 December, aiming to cut off President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro's primary revenue source.<\/p>\n<p>Trump claimed Venezuela was \"completely surrounded by the largest armada ever assembled in the history of South America\" and demanded the country return \"all of the oil, land, and other assets that they previously stole from us.\"<\/p>\n<p>Venezuela's government called the seizures acts of piracy. <\/p>\n<p>Earlier in December, Maduro denounced on Telegram the \"campaign of aggression that goes from psychological terrorism to corsairs attacking oil tankers.\"<\/p>\n<p>Vice President Delcy Rodr\u00edguez said Caracas would report the operations to the UN Security Council.<\/p>\n<p>Russia has been using its own shadow fleet of vessels, which employ opaque ownership structures, flags of convenience, and irregular shipping practices to transport Russian oil and circumvent Western sanctions following its all-out invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.<\/p>\n<p>The fleet of hundreds of often ageing vessels has been crucial to Russia's ability to continue exporting oil and funding its war effort.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1767173186,"updatedAt":1767268852,"publishedAt":1767175591,"firstPublishedAt":1767175591,"lastPublishedAt":1767268851,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","altText":"FILE: An oil tanker is docked at El Palito port in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, 21 December 2025","callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"caption":"FILE: An oil tanker is docked at El Palito port in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, 21 December 2025","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/86\/76\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_c9b128d7-aab8-5973-ab04-5bbf4c80707b-9598676.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":683}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"mirmohammadsadeghi","twitter":"@Farhads90Mir","id":2518,"title":"Farhad Mirmohammadsadeghi"},{"urlSafeValue":"brezar","twitter":"@brezaleksandar","id":2310,"title":"Aleksandar Brezar"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","titleRaw":"Venezuela","id":450,"title":"Venezuela","slug":"venezuela"},{"urlSafeValue":"nicolas-maduro","titleRaw":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro","id":11588,"title":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro","slug":"nicolas-maduro"},{"urlSafeValue":"iran-and-usa","titleRaw":"Iran and Usa","id":11976,"title":"Iran and Usa","slug":"iran-and-usa"},{"urlSafeValue":"oil-tanker","titleRaw":"Oil tanker","id":12135,"title":"Oil tanker","slug":"oil-tanker"},{"urlSafeValue":"iran-sanctions","titleRaw":"Iran sanctions","id":17576,"title":"Iran sanctions","slug":"iran-sanctions"},{"urlSafeValue":"seizure","titleRaw":"seizure","id":22200,"title":"seizure","slug":"seizure"}],"widgets":[],"related":[{"id":2858672},{"id":2858763}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"news","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":1,"title":"News","slug":"news"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":4392,"urlSafeValue":"america","title":"America"},"country":{"id":298,"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","url":"\/news\/america\/venezuela"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":{"id":2,"slug":"amazon-translate","isActive":1},"localisation":{"producerLanguage":"fa","storyId":9598277,"online":1},"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":1,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/2025\/12\/31\/crew-paints-russian-flag-on-iran-linked-tanker-pursued-by-us","lastModified":1767268851},{"id":2858114,"cid":9596383,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"NC1 VENEZUELA EMANCIPATION CELEBRATION","daletPyramidId":3725265,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Bandos and Parrandas: Venezuela celebrates freedom on Holy Innocents Day","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"","titleListing2":"Bandos and Parrandas: Celebrating freedom and creativity in Caucagua","leadin":"Each December, Caucagua in Venezuela bursts with colour for the Bandos and Parrandas of the Holy Innocents, a tradition celebrating freedom and resistance through humour.","summary":"Each December, Caucagua in Venezuela bursts with colour for the Bandos and Parrandas of the Holy Innocents, a tradition celebrating freedom and resistance through humour.","keySentence":"","url":"bandos-and-parrandas-venezuela-celebrates-freedom-on-holy-innocents-day","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/12\/29\/bandos-and-parrandas-venezuela-celebrates-freedom-on-holy-innocents-day","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Each December, the streets of Caucagua in northern Venezuela fill with colour and laughter for the Bandos and Parrandas of the Holy Innocents.\n\nThe tradition dates back more than two centuries. Once a rare day of freedom for enslaved people, it became an act of resistance wrapped in humour.\n\nToday, locals keep that spirit alive by dressing as plantation owners, swapping riddles and parodies that mock power with wit rather than anger.\n\nFamilies and visitors join in, drawn by the joy of remembering how creativity can outlast oppression.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Each December, the streets of Caucagua in northern Venezuela fill with colour and laughter for the Bandos and Parrandas of the Holy Innocents. <\/p>\n<p>The tradition dates back more than two centuries. Once a rare day of freedom for enslaved people, it became an act of resistance wrapped in humour. <\/p>\n<p>Today, locals keep that spirit alive by dressing as plantation owners, swapping riddles and parodies that mock power with wit rather than anger. <\/p>\n<p>Families and visitors join in, drawn by the joy of remembering how creativity can outlast oppression. <\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1766990487,"updatedAt":1767001579,"publishedAt":1767001305,"firstPublishedAt":1767001305,"lastPublishedAt":1767001305,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/63\/83\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_6fdf6413-a734-5418-9ac6-f57b79b956b3-9596383.jpg","altText":"A man paints his face during the traditional Feast of the Holy Innocents festival in Caracas, Venezuela, Dec. 28, 2025.","caption":"A man paints his face during the traditional Feast of the Holy Innocents festival in Caracas, Venezuela, Dec. 28, 2025.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Screenshot from an AP video.","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1586,"height":892}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":2134,"urlSafeValue":"mauduit","title":"Frederique Mauduit","twitter":null}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[{"id":2134,"urlSafeValue":"mauduit","title":"Frederique Mauduit","twitter":null}]},"keywords":[{"id":450,"slug":"venezuela","urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","titleRaw":"Venezuela"},{"id":8735,"slug":"tradition","urlSafeValue":"tradition","title":"Tradition","titleRaw":"Tradition"},{"id":4164,"slug":"festival","urlSafeValue":"festival","title":"Festival","titleRaw":"Festival"}],"widgets":[],"related":[{"id":2858015},{"id":2851794},{"id":2857405}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"dailymotionId":"x9wm5ru"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"format":"mp4","quality":"md","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/ED\/32\/66\/05\/08\/ED_PYR_3266058_20251229093006.mp4","editor":"","duration":60000,"filesizeBytes":12143811,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"hd","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/SHD\/32\/66\/05\/08\/SHD_PYR_3266058_20251229093006.mp4","editor":"","duration":60000,"filesizeBytes":17022277,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"1080p","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/FHD\/32\/66\/05\/08\/FHD_PYR_3266058_20251229093006.mp4","editor":"","duration":60000,"filesizeBytes":49460818,"expiresAt":0}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"AP","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"nocomment","urlSafeValue":"nocomment","title":"No Comment","online":1,"url":"\/nocomment"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":4392,"urlSafeValue":"america","title":"America"},"country":{"id":298,"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","url":"\/news\/america\/venezuela"},"town":{"id":516,"urlSafeValue":"caracas-venezuela","title":"Caracas, Venezuela"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/video\/2025\/12\/29\/bandos-and-parrandas-venezuela-celebrates-freedom-on-holy-innocents-day","lastModified":1767001305},{"id":2857556,"cid":9594781,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"WHY DOES CHEVRON KEEP OPERATING IN VENEZUELA","daletPyramidId":3710713,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Explainer: Why Chevron still operates in Venezuela despite US sanctions","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Explainer: Why Chevron operates in Venezuela despite US sanctions","titleListing2":"","leadin":"Chevron\u2019s continued presence in Venezuela looks like an anomaly amid intensifying US sanctions. In fact, the contradiction is rooted in selective enforcement to maintain leverage over Caracas, as well as decades of oil politics.","summary":"Chevron\u2019s continued presence in Venezuela looks like an anomaly amid intensifying US sanctions. In fact, the contradiction is rooted in selective enforcement to maintain leverage over Caracas, as well as decades of oil politics.","keySentence":"","url":"explainer-why-chevron-still-operates-in-venezuela-despite-us-sanctions","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/business\/2025\/12\/29\/explainer-why-chevron-still-operates-in-venezuela-despite-us-sanctions","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"The United States has spent years tightening sanctions on Venezuela, attempting to choke off the oil revenues that sustain President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro\u2019s government.\n\nWashington has imposed sweeping restrictions on Venezuela\u2019s state oil industry, threatened to seize or block tankers carrying the South American country's distinctive heavy crude and warned companies around the world against doing business with Caracas.\n\nIn early December, the US seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, the first such seizure tied to Venezuelan oil under the current pressure campaign.\n\nThe vessel involved, widely reported as the Skipper, added a geopolitical risk premium to oil markets and drew sharp condemnation from Caracas as \u201ctheft\u201d.\n\nWashington has since seized a second oil tanker east of Barbados. US authorities are also actively pursuing a third tanker linked to Venezuela that attempted to evade boarding and is under a judicial seizure order.\n\nOfficials say the vessel is part of a so-called shadow or ghost fleet used to bypass sanctions, and if captured the US intends to retain the ship and its cargo.\n\nYet amid this near-total blockade, one American oil major continues to operate inside the country: Chevron.\n\nThe apparent contradiction has fueled accusations of hypocrisy and confusion over how US sanctions are applied. In reality, Chevron\u2019s presence in Venezuela highlights the underlying causes of Washington\u2019s fraught relationship with the country and helps illuminate the background to the latest escalation.\n\nOnce the largest oil exporter in the world\n\nVenezuela\u2019s rise to prominence began with early 20th-century oil discoveries that made it a global exporter by the 1940s, with successive governments negotiating terms with foreign firms until PDVSA\u2019s creation in 1976 formalised state control.\n\nAt the start of the 20th century, Venezuela was a poor, agrarian country on the margins of the global economy. That changed abruptly in the 1910s and 1920s, when vast oil reserves were discovered beneath Lake Maracaibo and the eastern plains, triggering a rush of foreign investment led by US and European companies.\n\nBy the interwar years, global oil majors \u2014 including predecessors of Chevron, Shell and Exxon \u2014 dominated Venezuela\u2019s oil sector. The Venezuelan state, weak and authoritarian under military strongmen such as Juan Vicente G\u00f3mez, offered generous concessions in exchange for royalties and taxes. Oil revenues quickly eclipsed agriculture, transforming Venezuela into one of the world\u2019s leading exporters by the 1940s.\n\nUnder President Isa\u00edas Medina Angarita, Venezuela reformed its oil sector without rupturing relations with the United States, raising taxes on foreign companies through negotiated changes that preserved production and investment. A pro-western moderniser who aligned Venezuela with the Allied war effort and cut ties with the Axis powers during the Second World War, Medina was nonetheless overthrown in 1945 \u2014 a move Washington did not actively oppose or intervene to prevent.\n\nFirst wave of Western-led nationalisation\n\nVenezuela\u2019s repeated military coups in the first half of the 20th century entrenched dependence on foreign oil companies, who relied on oil for revenue and stability, while the end of military rule after 1958 created the political stability that ultimately made nationalisation possible.\n\nDuring the presidency of Carlos Andr\u00e9s P\u00e9rez, whose economic plan, \"La Gran Venezuela\", called for the nationalization of the oil industry, Venezuela officially nationalized its oil industry on 1 January 1976 at the site of Zumaque oilwell 1. This was the birth of Petr\u00f3leos de Venezuela S.A. or PDVSA.\n\nUnlike some nationalisations elsewhere, this was initially seen as a technocratic success, since PDVSA was run by Western-trained managers, reinvested profits and maintained close ties with international markets.\n\nFor two decades, PDVSA became one of the most respected national oil companies globally. It expanded refining capacity abroad, including in the United States, and kept production high. Venezuela remained a reliable supplier, and foreign firms continued to operate through partnerships and service contracts.\n\nMismanagement and decline in oil prices\n\nBy the 1980s and 1990s, however, the cracks widened. Oil prices fell, debt rose, and economic mismanagement eroded living standards. The political system \u2014 dominated by two centrist parties \u2014 lost legitimacy, accused of corruption and elite capture of oil wealth.\n\nIt was in this context that Hugo Ch\u00e1vez, a former army officer who had led a failed coup attempt, emerged as a national figure. He channelled widespread anger at inequality, foreign influence and the perceived betrayal of Venezuela\u2019s oil riches.\n\nCh\u00e1vez and the US\n\nFor much of Ch\u00e1vez\u2019s presidency, US oil companies including Chevron and ExxonMobil operated openly in Venezuela, supplying US refineries with heavy crude even as political relations deteriorated.\n\nIn the 2006-07 period, Ch\u00e1vez ordered all foreign oil companies operating in the Orinoco Belt to convert their projects into majority state-owned joint ventures with PDVSA holding at least 60%.\n\nCompanies that accepted stayed on under worse terms, and companies that refused were effectively pushed out. ExxonMobil refused the new terms, its assets were nationalised and Exxon exited Venezuela and later won arbitration cases against the Venezuelan state.\n\nConocoPhillips also refused the new terms, its assets were seized and the company exited, and it also filed major international arbitration and largely won.\n\nChevron accepted renegotiation, stayed in Venezuela throughout Ch\u00e1vez\u2019s presidency and beyond, operating minority stakes under PDVSA control.\n\nUS sanctions during the Ch\u00e1vez years were limited and targeted, focusing mainly on arms restrictions and a small number of individuals accused of illicit activity, rather than the economy as a whole.\n\nUS tensions escalate under Maduro\n\nIt was only after Ch\u00e1vez\u2019s death, and amid the deepening political and economic crisis under Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, that Washington shifted strategy \u2014 first imposing financial sanctions in 2017 and later, in 2019, targeting Venezuela\u2019s oil sector directly, marking a decisive break in the more transactional relationship that had existed before.\n\nSince 2019, US sanctions have targeted PDVSA and the broader oil trade, blocking financial access and outlawing most exports. The measures were designed to deny Maduro access to hard currency, while pressuring his government into negotiations with the opposition.\n\nEnforcement has included aggressive action against shipping. Tankers suspected of carrying Venezuelan crude have been threatened with seizure, denied insurance or barred from ports. The US has also sanctioned intermediaries accused of disguising the origin of Venezuelan oil and routing it through third countries.\n\nThe result has been a shadow oil trade, with Venezuelan crude sold at steep discounts, often to buyers in Asia, through opaque networks of traders and ship-to-ship transfers.\n\nChevron\u2019s exception\n\nChevron is the sole major US oil company still operating in Venezuela because it has been granted a specific licence by the US Treasury. Issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the licence allows Chevron to produce and export Venezuelan oil under strict conditions.\n\nChevron is allowed to operate in Venezuela only in oil projects it already shared with PDVSA. It cannot start new projects or significantly increase production.\n\nChevron\u2019s operations are structured so that cash flows and profits do not directly benefit PDVSA or the Venezuelan state under current sanctions licences.\n\nThe funds are instead used to cover basic operating costs such as staff, maintenance and transport for between a third and a fourth of Venezuela's oil production.\n\nChevron is paid in... oil?\n\nPDVSA failed for years to pay its share of operating costs and bills in their joint ventures. In effect, Chevron is being repaid in oil, rather than paying Venezuela in cash. The Venezuelan government does not receive fresh revenue from these operations \u2014 no dividends, no budget income, no direct cash transfers.\n\nThe licence is temporary and must be renewed periodically, giving Washington the ability to revoke it if political conditions deteriorate.\n\nWhy Washington allows it\n\nUS officials argue that Chevron\u2019s continued presence actually strengthens sanctions enforcement rather than undermining it.\n\nFirst, Chevron provides transparency. Oil produced under its licence is traceable, insured, and sold through formal channels, reducing Venezuela\u2019s reliance on illicit traders and hard-to-monitor shipments.\n\nFrom Washington\u2019s perspective, allowing limited, supervised exports is preferable to driving all Venezuelan oil sales underground.\n\nSecond, Chevron\u2019s operations are tied to debt repayment. PDVSA owes Chevron hundreds of millions of dollars after failing for years to cover its share of joint-venture costs. Allowing Chevron to recover those losses through oil shipments settles existing obligations without injecting fresh cash into the Venezuelan state.\n\nThird, the arrangement offers leverage. The licence can be tightened, expanded, or revoked depending on Caracas\u2019s behaviour, particularly around elections and negotiations with the opposition. In this sense, Chevron functions as a pressure valve rather than a reward.\n\nCritics, including Venezuelan opposition figures and human rights groups, argue that any oil production ultimately benefits the Maduro government and weakens the moral force of sanctions.\n\nIf US President Donald Trump, who has deployed warships to Venezuela\u2019s coast, were to attack and overthrow the government, no company would be better placed than Chevron to help rebuild the country\u2019s battered oil industry.\n\nIf, instead, Trump were to strike a deal with Maduro, Caracas would need to maximise oil exports to generate cash \u2014 again playing to Chevron\u2019s advantage.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>The United States has spent years tightening sanctions on Venezuela, attempting to choke off the oil revenues that sustain President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro\u2019s government.<\/p>\n<p>Washington has imposed sweeping restrictions on Venezuela\u2019s state oil industry, threatened to seize or block tankers carrying the South American country's distinctive heavy crude and warned companies around the world against doing business with Caracas.<\/p>\n<p>In early December, the US seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, the first such seizure tied to Venezuelan oil under the current pressure campaign. <\/p>\n<p>The vessel involved, widely reported as the Skipper, added a geopolitical risk premium to oil markets and drew sharp condemnation from Caracas as \u201ctheft\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Washington has since seized a second oil tanker east of Barbados. US authorities are also actively pursuing a third tanker linked to Venezuela that attempted to evade boarding and is under a judicial seizure order. <\/p>\n<p>Officials say the vessel is part of a so-called shadow or ghost fleet used to bypass sanctions, and if captured the US intends to retain the ship and its cargo.<\/p>\n<p>Yet amid this near-total blockade, one American oil major continues to operate inside the country: Chevron.<\/p>\n<p>The apparent contradiction has fueled accusations of hypocrisy and confusion over how US sanctions are applied. In reality, Chevron\u2019s presence in Venezuela highlights the underlying causes of Washington\u2019s fraught relationship with the country and helps illuminate the background to the latest escalation.<\/p>\n<h2>Once the largest oil exporter in the world<\/h2>\n<p>Venezuela\u2019s rise to prominence began with early 20th-century oil discoveries that made it a global exporter by the 1940s, with successive governments negotiating terms with foreign firms until PDVSA\u2019s creation in 1976 formalised state control.<\/p>\n<p>At the start of the 20th century, Venezuela was a poor, agrarian country on the margins of the global economy. That changed abruptly in the 1910s and 1920s, when vast oil reserves were discovered beneath Lake Maracaibo and the eastern plains, triggering a rush of foreign investment led by US and European companies.<\/p>\n<p>By the interwar years, global oil majors \u2014 including predecessors of Chevron, Shell and Exxon \u2014 dominated Venezuela\u2019s oil sector. The Venezuelan state, weak and authoritarian under military strongmen such as Juan Vicente G\u00f3mez, offered generous concessions in exchange for royalties and taxes. Oil revenues quickly eclipsed agriculture, transforming Venezuela into one of the world\u2019s leading exporters by the 1940s.<\/p>\n<p>Under President Isa\u00edas Medina Angarita, Venezuela reformed its oil sector without rupturing relations with the United States, raising taxes on foreign companies through negotiated changes that preserved production and investment. A pro-western moderniser who aligned Venezuela with the Allied war effort and cut ties with the Axis powers during the Second World War, Medina was nonetheless overthrown in 1945 \u2014 a move Washington did not actively oppose or intervene to prevent.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.7841796875\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//59//47//81//808x631_cmsv2_5c750ef1-ec5d-53ce-b2a5-afad5fc363ec-9594781.jpg/" alt=\"FILE - President Isaías Medina Angarita shares a laugh with President Franklin D. Roosevelt and first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, 20 Jan, 1944, during a visit to Washington.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/384x301_cmsv2_5c750ef1-ec5d-53ce-b2a5-afad5fc363ec-9594781.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/640x502_cmsv2_5c750ef1-ec5d-53ce-b2a5-afad5fc363ec-9594781.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/750x588_cmsv2_5c750ef1-ec5d-53ce-b2a5-afad5fc363ec-9594781.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/828x649_cmsv2_5c750ef1-ec5d-53ce-b2a5-afad5fc363ec-9594781.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/1080x847_cmsv2_5c750ef1-ec5d-53ce-b2a5-afad5fc363ec-9594781.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/1200x941_cmsv2_5c750ef1-ec5d-53ce-b2a5-afad5fc363ec-9594781.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/1920x1506_cmsv2_5c750ef1-ec5d-53ce-b2a5-afad5fc363ec-9594781.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">FILE - President Isaías Medina Angarita shares a laugh with President Franklin D. Roosevelt and first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, 20 Jan, 1944, during a visit to Washington.<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">George R. Skadding\/AP<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>First wave of Western-led nationalisation<\/h2>\n<p>Venezuela\u2019s repeated military coups in the first half of the 20th century entrenched dependence on foreign oil companies, who relied on oil for revenue and stability, while the end of military rule after 1958 created the political stability that ultimately made nationalisation possible.<\/p>\n<p>During the presidency of Carlos Andr\u00e9s P\u00e9rez, whose economic plan, \"La Gran Venezuela\", called for the nationalization of the oil industry, Venezuela officially nationalized its oil industry on 1 January 1976 at the site of Zumaque oilwell 1. This was the birth of Petr\u00f3leos de Venezuela S.A. or PDVSA.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike some nationalisations elsewhere, this was initially seen as a technocratic success, since PDVSA was run by Western-trained managers, reinvested profits and maintained close ties with international markets.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6923828125\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//59//47//81//808x561_cmsv2_6658cf65-0c23-527b-b410-a7732692e5b6-9594781.jpg/" alt=\"FILE - President Carlos Andres Perez is surrounded by well-wishers following New Year's Day ceremonies in which the state took possession of Venezuela's national oil industry.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/384x266_cmsv2_6658cf65-0c23-527b-b410-a7732692e5b6-9594781.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/640x443_cmsv2_6658cf65-0c23-527b-b410-a7732692e5b6-9594781.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/750x519_cmsv2_6658cf65-0c23-527b-b410-a7732692e5b6-9594781.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/828x573_cmsv2_6658cf65-0c23-527b-b410-a7732692e5b6-9594781.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/1080x748_cmsv2_6658cf65-0c23-527b-b410-a7732692e5b6-9594781.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/1200x831_cmsv2_6658cf65-0c23-527b-b410-a7732692e5b6-9594781.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/1920x1329_cmsv2_6658cf65-0c23-527b-b410-a7732692e5b6-9594781.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">FILE - President Carlos Andres Perez is surrounded by well-wishers following New Year's Day ceremonies in which the state took possession of Venezuela's national oil industry.<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Anonymous\/AP1976<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>For two decades, PDVSA became one of the most respected national oil companies globally. It expanded refining capacity abroad, including in the United States, and kept production high. Venezuela remained a reliable supplier, and foreign firms continued to operate through partnerships and service contracts.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2025//12//23//year-of-the-metals-venezuela-tensions-send-gold-and-silver-soaring/">Year of the metals: Venezuela tensions send gold and silver soaring<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2025//12//24//venezuela-seeks-to-criminalise-seizure-of-oil-tankers-as-the-us-ramps-up-its-pressure-camp/">Venezuela targets US tanker seizure supporters with new 'anti-piracy' law<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>Mismanagement and decline in oil prices<\/h2>\n<p>By the 1980s and 1990s, however, the cracks widened. Oil prices fell, debt rose, and economic mismanagement eroded living standards. The political system \u2014 dominated by two centrist parties \u2014 lost legitimacy, accused of corruption and elite capture of oil wealth.<\/p>\n<p>It was in this context that Hugo Ch\u00e1vez, a former army officer who had led a failed coup attempt, emerged as a national figure. He channelled widespread anger at inequality, foreign influence and the perceived betrayal of Venezuela\u2019s oil riches.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.7587890625\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//59//47//81//808x612_cmsv2_79425983-bcf7-5cc5-a892-6b5758c3e091-9594781.jpg/" alt=\"FILE - Chavez, left with Under-Secretary of the Organization of American States Christopher Thomas in the presidential house La Casona in Caracas, Monday, July 26, 1999. \" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/384x291_cmsv2_79425983-bcf7-5cc5-a892-6b5758c3e091-9594781.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/640x486_cmsv2_79425983-bcf7-5cc5-a892-6b5758c3e091-9594781.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/750x569_cmsv2_79425983-bcf7-5cc5-a892-6b5758c3e091-9594781.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/828x628_cmsv2_79425983-bcf7-5cc5-a892-6b5758c3e091-9594781.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/1080x819_cmsv2_79425983-bcf7-5cc5-a892-6b5758c3e091-9594781.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/1200x911_cmsv2_79425983-bcf7-5cc5-a892-6b5758c3e091-9594781.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/1920x1457_cmsv2_79425983-bcf7-5cc5-a892-6b5758c3e091-9594781.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">FILE - Chavez, left with Under-Secretary of the Organization of American States Christopher Thomas in the presidential house La Casona in Caracas, Monday, July 26, 1999. <\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Anonymous\/AP1999<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>Ch\u00e1vez and the US<\/h2>\n<p>For much of Ch\u00e1vez\u2019s presidency, US oil companies including Chevron and ExxonMobil operated openly in Venezuela, supplying US refineries with heavy crude even as political relations deteriorated.<\/p>\n<p>In the 2006-07 period, Ch\u00e1vez ordered all foreign oil companies operating in the Orinoco Belt to convert their projects into majority state-owned joint ventures with PDVSA holding at least 60%.<\/p>\n<p>Companies that accepted stayed on under worse terms, and companies that refused were effectively pushed out. ExxonMobil refused the new terms, its assets were nationalised and Exxon exited Venezuela and later won arbitration cases against the Venezuelan state.<\/p>\n<p>ConocoPhillips also refused the new terms, its assets were seized and the company exited, and it also filed major international arbitration and largely won.<\/p>\n<p>Chevron accepted renegotiation, stayed in Venezuela throughout Ch\u00e1vez\u2019s presidency and beyond, operating minority stakes under PDVSA control.<\/p>\n<p>US sanctions during the Ch\u00e1vez years were limited and targeted, focusing mainly on arms restrictions and a small number of individuals accused of illicit activity, rather than the economy as a whole. <\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.5859375\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//59//47//81//808x473_cmsv2_350e473c-8664-5a08-954c-feee5763fb4c-9594781.jpg/" alt=\"FILE - In this Aug. 19, 2008 file photo, National Guard soldiers patrol outside the CEMEX plant in Pertigalete, Venezuela. \" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/384x225_cmsv2_350e473c-8664-5a08-954c-feee5763fb4c-9594781.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/640x375_cmsv2_350e473c-8664-5a08-954c-feee5763fb4c-9594781.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/750x439_cmsv2_350e473c-8664-5a08-954c-feee5763fb4c-9594781.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/828x485_cmsv2_350e473c-8664-5a08-954c-feee5763fb4c-9594781.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/1080x633_cmsv2_350e473c-8664-5a08-954c-feee5763fb4c-9594781.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/1200x703_cmsv2_350e473c-8664-5a08-954c-feee5763fb4c-9594781.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/1920x1125_cmsv2_350e473c-8664-5a08-954c-feee5763fb4c-9594781.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">FILE - In this Aug. 19, 2008 file photo, National Guard soldiers patrol outside the CEMEX plant in Pertigalete, Venezuela. <\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Anonymous\/AP2008<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>US tensions escalate under Maduro<\/h2>\n<p>It was only after Ch\u00e1vez\u2019s death, and amid the deepening political and economic crisis under Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, that Washington shifted strategy \u2014 first imposing financial sanctions in 2017 and later, in 2019, targeting Venezuela\u2019s oil sector directly, marking a decisive break in the more transactional relationship that had existed before.<\/p>\n<p>Since 2019, US sanctions have targeted PDVSA and the broader oil trade, blocking financial access and outlawing most exports. The measures were designed to deny Maduro access to hard currency, while pressuring his government into negotiations with the opposition.<\/p>\n<p>Enforcement has included aggressive action against shipping. Tankers suspected of carrying Venezuelan crude have been threatened with seizure, denied insurance or barred from ports. The US has also sanctioned intermediaries accused of disguising the origin of Venezuelan oil and routing it through third countries.<\/p>\n<p>The result has been a shadow oil trade, with Venezuelan crude sold at steep discounts, often to buyers in Asia, through opaque networks of traders and ship-to-ship transfers.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6669921875\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//59//47//81//808x539_cmsv2_9f253864-9901-5de7-a065-5e4c1efe7163-9594781.jpg/" alt=\"FILE - Venezuela's President Maduro and Vice President Tareck El Aissami, tour the construction of La Rinconada baseball stadium, on the outskirts of Caracas. April 9, 2024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/384x256_cmsv2_9f253864-9901-5de7-a065-5e4c1efe7163-9594781.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/640x427_cmsv2_9f253864-9901-5de7-a065-5e4c1efe7163-9594781.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/750x500_cmsv2_9f253864-9901-5de7-a065-5e4c1efe7163-9594781.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/828x552_cmsv2_9f253864-9901-5de7-a065-5e4c1efe7163-9594781.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/1080x720_cmsv2_9f253864-9901-5de7-a065-5e4c1efe7163-9594781.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/1200x800_cmsv2_9f253864-9901-5de7-a065-5e4c1efe7163-9594781.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/1920x1281_cmsv2_9f253864-9901-5de7-a065-5e4c1efe7163-9594781.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">FILE - Venezuela's President Maduro and Vice President Tareck El Aissami, tour the construction of La Rinconada baseball stadium, on the outskirts of Caracas. April 9, 2024<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Ricardo Mazalan\/Copyright 2018 The AP. All rights reserved.<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>Chevron\u2019s exception<\/h2>\n<p>Chevron is the sole major US oil company still operating in Venezuela because it has been granted a specific licence by the US Treasury. Issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the licence allows Chevron to produce and export Venezuelan oil under strict conditions.<\/p>\n<p>Chevron is allowed to operate in Venezuela only in oil projects it already shared with PDVSA. It cannot start new projects or significantly increase production.<\/p>\n<p>Chevron\u2019s operations are structured so that cash flows and profits do not directly benefit PDVSA or the Venezuelan state under current sanctions licences.<\/p>\n<p>The funds are instead used to cover basic operating costs such as staff, maintenance and transport for between a third and a fourth of Venezuela's oil production.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6669921875\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//59//47//81//808x539_cmsv2_f273ad5c-6e11-58a5-a17f-ef73fe934f93-9594781.jpg/" alt=\"FILE -Venezuelan Petroleum Minister Tareck El Aissami shakes hands with Chevron President in Venezuela, Javier La Rosa, during an agreement signing ceremony in Caracas.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/384x256_cmsv2_f273ad5c-6e11-58a5-a17f-ef73fe934f93-9594781.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/640x427_cmsv2_f273ad5c-6e11-58a5-a17f-ef73fe934f93-9594781.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/750x500_cmsv2_f273ad5c-6e11-58a5-a17f-ef73fe934f93-9594781.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/828x552_cmsv2_f273ad5c-6e11-58a5-a17f-ef73fe934f93-9594781.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/1080x720_cmsv2_f273ad5c-6e11-58a5-a17f-ef73fe934f93-9594781.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/1200x800_cmsv2_f273ad5c-6e11-58a5-a17f-ef73fe934f93-9594781.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/1920x1281_cmsv2_f273ad5c-6e11-58a5-a17f-ef73fe934f93-9594781.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">FILE -Venezuelan Petroleum Minister Tareck El Aissami shakes hands with Chevron President in Venezuela, Javier La Rosa, during an agreement signing ceremony in Caracas.<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Matias Delacroix\/Copyright 2022 The AP. All rights reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>Chevron is paid in... oil?<\/h2>\n<p>PDVSA failed for years to pay its share of operating costs and bills in their joint ventures. In effect, Chevron is being repaid in oil, rather than paying Venezuela in cash. The Venezuelan government does not receive fresh revenue from these operations \u2014 no dividends, no budget income, no direct cash transfers.<\/p>\n<p>The licence is temporary and must be renewed periodically, giving Washington the ability to revoke it if political conditions deteriorate.<\/p>\n<h2>Why Washington allows it<\/h2>\n<p>US officials argue that Chevron\u2019s continued presence actually strengthens sanctions enforcement rather than undermining it.<\/p>\n<p>First, Chevron provides transparency. Oil produced under its licence is traceable, insured, and sold through formal channels, reducing Venezuela\u2019s reliance on illicit traders and hard-to-monitor shipments. <\/p>\n<p>From Washington\u2019s perspective, allowing limited, supervised exports is preferable to driving all Venezuelan oil sales underground.<\/p>\n<p>Second, Chevron\u2019s operations are tied to debt repayment. PDVSA owes Chevron hundreds of millions of dollars after failing for years to cover its share of joint-venture costs. Allowing Chevron to recover those losses through oil shipments settles existing obligations without injecting fresh cash into the Venezuelan state.<\/p>\n<p>Third, the arrangement offers leverage. The licence can be tightened, expanded, or revoked depending on Caracas\u2019s behaviour, particularly around elections and negotiations with the opposition. In this sense, Chevron functions as a pressure valve rather than a reward.<\/p>\n<p>Critics, including Venezuelan opposition figures and human rights groups, argue that any oil production ultimately benefits the Maduro government and weakens the moral force of sanctions. <\/p>\n<p>If US President Donald Trump, who has deployed warships to Venezuela\u2019s coast, were to attack and overthrow the government, no company would be better placed than Chevron to help rebuild the country\u2019s battered oil industry. <\/p>\n<p>If, instead, Trump were to strike a deal with Maduro, Caracas would need to maximise oil exports to generate cash \u2014 again playing to Chevron\u2019s advantage.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1766741343,"updatedAt":1766988030,"publishedAt":1766988013,"firstPublishedAt":1766988013,"lastPublishedAt":1766988029,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_1da6afbe-e391-566c-9551-473f539f3b89-9594781.jpg","altText":"FILE - This April 21, 2008 file photo shows a Chevron flag flying over the Chevron refinery in Richmond, California.","caption":"FILE - This April 21, 2008 file photo shows a Chevron flag flying over the Chevron refinery in Richmond, California.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Ben Margot\/AP","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":576},{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_f273ad5c-6e11-58a5-a17f-ef73fe934f93-9594781.jpg","altText":"FILE -Venezuelan Petroleum Minister Tareck El Aissami shakes hands with Chevron President in Venezuela, Javier La Rosa, during an agreement signing ceremony in Caracas.","caption":"FILE -Venezuelan Petroleum Minister Tareck El Aissami shakes hands with Chevron President in Venezuela, Javier La Rosa, during an agreement signing ceremony in Caracas.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Matias Delacroix\/Copyright 2022 The AP. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683},{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_9f253864-9901-5de7-a065-5e4c1efe7163-9594781.jpg","altText":"FILE - Venezuela's President Maduro and Vice President Tareck El Aissami, tour the construction of La Rinconada baseball stadium, on the outskirts of Caracas. April 9, 2024","caption":"FILE - Venezuela's President Maduro and Vice President Tareck El Aissami, tour the construction of La Rinconada baseball stadium, on the outskirts of Caracas. April 9, 2024","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Ricardo Mazalan\/Copyright 2018 The AP. All rights reserved.","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683},{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_350e473c-8664-5a08-954c-feee5763fb4c-9594781.jpg","altText":"FILE - In this Aug. 19, 2008 file photo, National Guard soldiers patrol outside the CEMEX plant in Pertigalete, Venezuela. ","caption":"FILE - In this Aug. 19, 2008 file photo, National Guard soldiers patrol outside the CEMEX plant in Pertigalete, Venezuela. ","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Anonymous\/AP2008","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":600},{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_79425983-bcf7-5cc5-a892-6b5758c3e091-9594781.jpg","altText":"FILE - Chavez, left with Under-Secretary of the Organization of American States Christopher Thomas in the presidential house La Casona in Caracas, Monday, July 26, 1999. ","caption":"FILE - Chavez, left with Under-Secretary of the Organization of American States Christopher Thomas in the presidential house La Casona in Caracas, Monday, July 26, 1999. ","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Anonymous\/AP1999","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":777},{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_6658cf65-0c23-527b-b410-a7732692e5b6-9594781.jpg","altText":"FILE - President Carlos Andres Perez is surrounded by well-wishers following New Year's Day ceremonies in which the state took possession of Venezuela's national oil industry.","caption":"FILE - President Carlos Andres Perez is surrounded by well-wishers following New Year's Day ceremonies in which the state took possession of Venezuela's national oil industry.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Anonymous\/AP1976","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":709},{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/47\/81\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_5c750ef1-ec5d-53ce-b2a5-afad5fc363ec-9594781.jpg","altText":"FILE - President Carlos Andres Perez is surrounded by well-wishers following New Year's Day ceremonies in which the state took possession of Venezuela's national oil industry.","caption":"FILE - President Carlos Andres Perez is surrounded by well-wishers following New Year's Day ceremonies in which the state took possession of Venezuela's national oil industry.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"George R. Skadding\/AP","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":803}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":3408,"urlSafeValue":"hajdari","title":"Una Hajdari","twitter":null}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":450,"slug":"venezuela","urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","titleRaw":"Venezuela"},{"id":18334,"slug":"oil-industry","urlSafeValue":"oil-industry","title":"oil industry ","titleRaw":"oil industry "},{"id":447,"slug":"usa","urlSafeValue":"usa","title":"USA","titleRaw":"USA"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"image","count":6},{"slug":"related","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2857587},{"id":2855177},{"id":2855856}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business","online":0,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/business\/business\/business"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"business","verticals":[{"id":11,"slug":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":11,"slug":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business"},"themes":[{"id":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business","url":"\/business\/business"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":7,"urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":4392,"urlSafeValue":"america","title":"America"},"country":{"id":298,"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","url":"\/news\/america\/venezuela"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/business\/2025\/12\/29\/explainer-why-chevron-still-operates-in-venezuela-despite-us-sanctions","lastModified":1766988029},{"id":2856991,"cid":9592903,"versionId":2,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"VENEZUELA US TENSIONS DEVELOPMENTS","daletPyramidId":3693809,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Venezuela targets US tanker seizure supporters with new 'anti-piracy' law","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Venezuela targets US tanker seizure supporters with 'anti-piracy' law","titleListing2":"Venezuela targets US tanker seizure supporters with new 'anti-piracy' law","leadin":"Venezuela's National Assembly approved a law imposing up to 20 years in prison for supporting tanker seizures or blockades. The move follows the US seizure of two Venezuelan oil tankers this month.","summary":"Venezuela's National Assembly approved a law imposing up to 20 years in prison for supporting tanker seizures or blockades. The move follows the US seizure of two Venezuelan oil tankers this month.","keySentence":"","url":"venezuela-seeks-to-criminalise-seizure-of-oil-tankers-as-the-us-ramps-up-its-pressure-camp","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/12\/24\/venezuela-seeks-to-criminalise-seizure-of-oil-tankers-as-the-us-ramps-up-its-pressure-camp","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Venezuela's National Assembly on Tuesday approved a law criminalising activities that disrupt navigation and commerce, including the seizure of oil tankers, as tensions escalate with the United States over ship interdictions.\n\nThe bill was introduced, debated, and approved by the unicameral assembly within two days, which is controlled by Venezuela's ruling party. The legislation now awaits the signature of Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro.\n\nThe law calls for fines and prison sentences of up to 20 years for anyone who promotes, requests, supports, finances or participates in \"acts of piracy, blockades or other international illegal acts\" against commercial entities operating with Venezuela, according to the bill as read on the floor.\n\nIt also instructs the executive branch to create \"incentives and mechanisms for economic, commercial and other protections\" for national or foreign entities doing business with Venezuela in the event of piracy activities, maritime blockades or other unlawful acts.\n\nThe assembly did not publish drafts or the final version of the measure on Tuesday.\n\n\"This law seeks to protect the national economy and avoid the erosion of living standards for the population,\" lawmaker Giuseppe Alessandrello said whilst presenting the law before the National Assembly.\n\nNational Assembly President Jorge Rodr\u00edguez said the bill would be sent to Maduro for approval and would take effect upon publication in the Official Gazette.\n\nPursuing new targets\n\nThe move comes as the United States has intensified pressure on Venezuela's government, with the seizure of oil tankers as its latest strategy.\n\nOn 10 December, US forces seized the oil tanker Skipper in international waters off the coast of Venezuela. The 332-metre vessel had been sanctioned by the US Treasury Department in 2022 for allegedly being part of an oil trafficking shadow fleet involving Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah.\n\nLast Saturday, the US Coast Guard seized a second vessel, the Panama-flagged tanker Centuries, which was carrying approximately 1.8 million barrels of Venezuelan crude oil. Unlike the Skipper, the Centuries was not on the US sanctions lists at the time of seizure.\n\nUS officials have said they are pursuing a third vessel, the Bella 1, which was sanctioned by the Treasury Department in 2024 for allegedly transporting cargo that enriched Hezbollah and Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force.\n\nThe Trump administration says the vessels are part of Venezuela's shadow fleet, used to evade US economic sanctions.\n\nOn 17 December, US President Donald Trump announced a \"blockade\" of all sanctioned oil tankers departing from or bound for Venezuela, demanding the return of assets seized from US oil companies years ago.\n\n\"Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest armada ever assembled in the history of South America,\" Trump wrote on his social media platform. \"It will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before.\"\n\n'Primary economic lifeline for Maduro and his illegitimate regime'\n\nAt an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council called by Venezuela on Tuesday, US Ambassador Mike Waltz said the sanctioned oil tankers \"operate as the primary economic lifeline for Maduro and his illegitimate regime\" and fund \"the narco-terrorist group Cartel de Los Soles\".\n\n\"Maduro's ability to sell Venezuela's oil enables his fraudulent claim to power and his narco-terrorist activities,\" Waltz said.\n\n\"The United States will impose and enforce sanctions to the maximum extent to deprive Maduro of the resources he uses to fund Cartel de los Soles,\" he added, referring to the loosely connected group of top Venezuelan officials accused of controlling the drug trade in the country.\n\nA few countries including Panama and Argentina supported Washington's actions.\n\nMaduro has condemned the seizures as \"blatant theft\" and \"acts of international piracy\".\n\nThe Venezuelan government said on Tuesday it would continue to trade oil and vowed to protect Venezuela and its exports.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Venezuela's National Assembly on Tuesday approved a law criminalising activities that disrupt navigation and commerce, including the seizure of oil tankers, as tensions escalate with the United States over ship interdictions.<\/p>\n<p>The bill was introduced, debated, and approved by the unicameral assembly within two days, which is controlled by Venezuela's ruling party. The legislation now awaits the signature of Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro.<\/p>\n<p>The law calls for fines and prison sentences of up to 20 years for anyone who promotes, requests, supports, finances or participates in \"acts of piracy, blockades or other international illegal acts\" against commercial entities operating with Venezuela, according to the bill as read on the floor.<\/p>\n<p>It also instructs the executive branch to create \"incentives and mechanisms for economic, commercial and other protections\" for national or foreign entities doing business with Venezuela in the event of piracy activities, maritime blockades or other unlawful acts.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6669921875\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//59//29//03//808x539_cmsv2_693892fd-8e30-57fd-8bdf-ed1b7711728a-9592903.jpg/" alt=\"Lawmaker Giuseppe Alessandrello gives a speech during an extraordinary session at the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/29\/03\/384x256_cmsv2_693892fd-8e30-57fd-8bdf-ed1b7711728a-9592903.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/29\/03\/640x427_cmsv2_693892fd-8e30-57fd-8bdf-ed1b7711728a-9592903.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/29\/03\/750x500_cmsv2_693892fd-8e30-57fd-8bdf-ed1b7711728a-9592903.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/29\/03\/828x552_cmsv2_693892fd-8e30-57fd-8bdf-ed1b7711728a-9592903.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/29\/03\/1080x720_cmsv2_693892fd-8e30-57fd-8bdf-ed1b7711728a-9592903.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/29\/03\/1200x800_cmsv2_693892fd-8e30-57fd-8bdf-ed1b7711728a-9592903.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/29\/03\/1920x1281_cmsv2_693892fd-8e30-57fd-8bdf-ed1b7711728a-9592903.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Lawmaker Giuseppe Alessandrello gives a speech during an extraordinary session at the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025.<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Matias Delacroix\/Copyright 2025 The AP. All rights reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>The assembly did not publish drafts or the final version of the measure on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>\"This law seeks to protect the national economy and avoid the erosion of living standards for the population,\" lawmaker Giuseppe Alessandrello said whilst presenting the law before the National Assembly.<\/p>\n<p>National Assembly President Jorge Rodr\u00edguez said the bill would be sent to Maduro for approval and would take effect upon publication in the Official Gazette.<\/p>\n<h2>Pursuing new targets<\/h2>\n<p>The move comes as the United States has intensified pressure on Venezuela's government, with the seizure of oil tankers as its latest strategy.<\/p>\n<p>On 10 December, US forces seized the oil tanker Skipper in international waters off the coast of Venezuela. The 332-metre vessel had been sanctioned by the US Treasury Department in 2022 for allegedly being part of an oil trafficking shadow fleet involving Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah.<\/p>\n<p>Last Saturday, the US Coast Guard seized a second vessel, the Panama-flagged tanker Centuries, which was carrying approximately 1.8 million barrels of Venezuelan crude oil. Unlike the Skipper, the Centuries was not on the US sanctions lists at the time of seizure.<\/p>\n<p>US officials have said they are pursuing a third vessel, the Bella 1, which was sanctioned by the Treasury Department in 2024 for allegedly transporting cargo that enriched Hezbollah and Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force.<\/p>\n<p>The Trump administration says the vessels are part of Venezuela's shadow fleet, used to evade US economic sanctions.<\/p>\n<p>On 17 December, US President Donald Trump announced a \"blockade\" of all sanctioned oil tankers departing from or bound for Venezuela, demanding the return of assets seized from US oil companies years ago.<\/p>\n<p>\"Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest armada ever assembled in the history of South America,\" Trump wrote on his social media platform. \"It will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before.\"<\/p>\n<h2>'Primary economic lifeline for Maduro and his illegitimate regime'<\/h2>\n<p>At an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council called by Venezuela on Tuesday, US Ambassador Mike Waltz said the sanctioned oil tankers \"operate as the primary economic lifeline for Maduro and his illegitimate regime\" and fund \"the narco-terrorist group Cartel de Los Soles\".<\/p>\n<p>\"Maduro's ability to sell Venezuela's oil enables his fraudulent claim to power and his narco-terrorist activities,\" Waltz said. <\/p>\n<p>\"The United States will impose and enforce sanctions to the maximum extent to deprive Maduro of the resources he uses to fund Cartel de los Soles,\" he added, referring to the loosely connected group of top Venezuelan officials accused of controlling the drug trade in the country.<\/p>\n<p>A few countries including Panama and Argentina supported Washington's actions.<\/p>\n<p>Maduro has condemned the seizures as \"blatant theft\" and \"acts of international piracy\". <\/p>\n<p>The Venezuelan government said on Tuesday it would continue to trade oil and vowed to protect Venezuela and its exports.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1766548087,"updatedAt":1766566502,"publishedAt":1766554267,"firstPublishedAt":1766554267,"lastPublishedAt":1766566501,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"\u00a92025 Vantor via AP","altText":"The crude oil tanker Skipper recently seized by the US off the coast of Venezuela in the southern Caribbean Sea, Dec. 12, 2025. ","callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"caption":"The crude oil tanker Skipper recently seized by the US off the coast of Venezuela in the southern Caribbean Sea, Dec. 12, 2025. ","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/58\/82\/75\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_3562d7fb-8db0-559e-871c-650e5328ddc6-9588275.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":586},{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Matias Delacroix\/Copyright 2025 The AP. All rights reserved","altText":"Lawmaker Giuseppe Alessandrello gives a speech during an extraordinary session at the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025.","callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"caption":"Lawmaker Giuseppe Alessandrello gives a speech during an extraordinary session at the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025.","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/29\/03\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_693892fd-8e30-57fd-8bdf-ed1b7711728a-9592903.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":683}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","titleRaw":"Venezuela","id":450,"title":"Venezuela","slug":"venezuela"},{"urlSafeValue":"united-states","titleRaw":"United States ","id":13363,"title":"United States ","slug":"united-states"},{"urlSafeValue":"oil-tanker","titleRaw":"Oil tanker","id":12135,"title":"Oil tanker","slug":"oil-tanker"},{"urlSafeValue":"sanctions","titleRaw":"Sanctions","id":12824,"title":"Sanctions","slug":"sanctions"}],"widgets":[{"count":1,"slug":"image"}],"related":[{"id":2856757},{"id":2856430},{"id":2855821}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"AP","additionalReporting":"Euronews","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"news","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":1,"title":"News","slug":"news"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":4392,"urlSafeValue":"america","title":"America"},"country":{"id":298,"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","url":"\/news\/america\/venezuela"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/2025\/12\/24\/venezuela-seeks-to-criminalise-seizure-of-oil-tankers-as-the-us-ramps-up-its-pressure-camp","lastModified":1766566501},{"id":2856757,"cid":9591711,"versionId":2,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"NC1 VENEZUELA US TENSION RIDERS PROTEST","daletPyramidId":3683262,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Venezuela: government supporters stage motorbike rallies in Caracas over US interference","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":null,"titleListing2":"Government supporters stage motorbike protest in Caracas to protest US interference","leadin":"Government supporters staged a motorbike protest in Caracas on Monday as Venezuela\u2019s National Assembly debated a proposed antipiracy law linked to maritime trade.","summary":"Government supporters staged a motorbike protest in Caracas on Monday as Venezuela\u2019s National Assembly debated a proposed antipiracy law linked to maritime trade.","keySentence":"","url":"venezuela-government-supporters-stage-motorbike-protest-in-caracas-to-protest-us-interfere","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/12\/23\/venezuela-government-supporters-stage-motorbike-protest-in-caracas-to-protest-us-interfere","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"A motorbike caravan of government supporters took to the streets of Caracas on Monday during a National Assembly debate on a proposed antipiracy bill.\n\nSome protesters wore pirate costumes and carried posters, staging a symbolic demonstration as lawmakers discussed legislation related to freedom of navigation and trade.\n\nThe rally coincided with the arrival of senior officials at the assembly building.\n\nThe bill, approved in a first reading, is set for a second legislative debate before potentially becoming law, while public demonstrations continued outside the chamber.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>A motorbike caravan of government supporters took to the streets of Caracas on Monday during a National Assembly debate on a proposed antipiracy bill. <\/p>\n<p>Some protesters wore pirate costumes and carried posters, staging a symbolic demonstration as lawmakers discussed legislation related to freedom of navigation and trade. <\/p>\n<p>The rally coincided with the arrival of senior officials at the assembly building. <\/p>\n<p>The bill, approved in a first reading, is set for a second legislative debate before potentially becoming law, while public demonstrations continued outside the chamber.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1766472031,"updatedAt":1766477044,"publishedAt":1766476590,"firstPublishedAt":1766476590,"lastPublishedAt":1766477043,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved","altText":"Government supporters ride motorbikes through Caracas, Venezuela","callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"caption":"Government supporters ride motorbikes through Caracas, Venezuela","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/17\/11\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_3938c064-687a-5cb5-b497-f92a9fe9c36d-9591711.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1333}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"donald-trump","titleRaw":"Donald Trump","id":11900,"title":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump"},{"urlSafeValue":"nicolas-maduro","titleRaw":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro","id":11588,"title":"Nicol\u00e1s Maduro","slug":"nicolas-maduro"},{"urlSafeValue":"protestas","titleRaw":"Protests","id":27110,"title":"Protests","slug":"protestas"}],"widgets":[],"related":[],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"oHOoZgSUv7I","dailymotionId":"x9w9274"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"duration":60000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":11543179,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/ED\/32\/31\/34\/00\/ED_PYR_3231340_20251223065100.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"md"},{"duration":60000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":16151056,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/SHD\/32\/31\/34\/00\/SHD_PYR_3231340_20251223065100.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"hd"},{"duration":60000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":48736253,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/FHD\/32\/31\/34\/00\/FHD_PYR_3231340_20251223065100.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"1080p"}],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"euronews","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"nocomment","urlSafeValue":"nocomment","title":"No Comment","online":1,"url":"\/nocomment"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"news","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":1,"title":"News","slug":"news"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":4392,"urlSafeValue":"america","title":"America"},"country":{"id":298,"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","url":"\/news\/america\/venezuela"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/video\/2025\/12\/23\/venezuela-government-supporters-stage-motorbike-protest-in-caracas-to-protest-us-interfere","lastModified":1766477043},{"id":2856430,"cid":9590301,"versionId":2,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"US PURSUES THIRD TANKER VENEZUELA","daletPyramidId":3673108,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"US pursuing third oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"US pursuing third oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela","titleListing2":"US pursuing third oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela","leadin":"A US official said the vessel was 'a sanctioned dark fleet vessel that is part of Venezuela\u2019s illegal sanctions evasion.' The operation marks the second of its kind this weekend, and the third in less than two weeks.","summary":"A US official said the vessel was 'a sanctioned dark fleet vessel that is part of Venezuela\u2019s illegal sanctions evasion.' The operation marks the second of its kind this weekend, and the third in less than two weeks.","keySentence":"","url":"us-pursuing-third-oil-tanker-in-international-waters-near-venezuela","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/12\/22\/us-pursuing-third-oil-tanker-in-international-waters-near-venezuela","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"The US Coast Guard is pursuing a third oil tanker near Venezuela in the Caribbean sea, a US official who spoke on condition of anonymity said, adding that the ship was part of a Venezuelan shadow fleet used to evade sanctions.\n\nThe vessel, which was sailing in international waters near Venezuela, was reportedly sailing under a false flag and was subject to a judicial seizure order, the official briefed on the mission said.\n\nThe identification of the vessel currently remains unclear, and another official claimed the ship had not yet been boarded.\n\nOn Sunday, Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro denounced on Telegram the \"campaign of aggression that goes from psychological terrorism to corsairs attacking oil tankers,\" adding \u201cWe are ready to accelerate the pace of our deep revolution!\u201d\n\nFollowing the previous seizure, Maduro vowed to not let it \"go unpunished,\" and said it would file complaints with the UN Security Council.\n\nThe Pentagon and Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the US Coast Guard, redirected questions about the operation to the White House, which has not yet commented.\n\nIf successful, the operation would be the second of its kind over the weekend and the third in less than two weeks. It is part of the Trump administration\u2019s broader campaign to crack down on sanctioned vessels linked to the Venezuelan government.\n\nThe US seized a Panama-flagged oil tanker called Centuries on Saturday, and a sanctioned tanker called the Skipper on December 10.\n\nThe reason for seizing the Centuries is less clear than the Skipper, which wasn\u2019t flying a nation\u2019s flag and was part of a shadow fleet moving sanctioned cargo. The White House similarly described Centuries as a \"falsely flagged vessel operating as part of the Venezuelan shadow fleet to traffic stolen oil\".\n\nHowever, maritime historian Dr Salvatore Mercogliano said shipping databases show the Centuries appeared legal. \u201cEverything indicates that she is a properly registered vessel,\u201d he said, though he added it likely carried sanctioned oil.\n\nLast week, the Trump administration announced a \"blockade\" of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving the country, demanding the return of assets seized from US oil companies years ago.\n\n\"President Trump has been clear: the blockade of sanctioned oil tankers departing from, or bound for, Venezuela will remain in full force until Maduro\u2019s criminal enterprise returns every stolen American asset,\" US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on X.\n\nUS Homeland Security Advisor and close aide to Trump, Stephen Miller, has previously suggested Venezuela's oil belongs to Washington, and that the US \"created the oil industry\" due to its role in the early development of the sector. In 1976, Venezuela nationalised its oil industry and created the state-owned oil and natural gas company PDVSA to control its oil resources.\n\nThe US has also targeted vessels it says are smuggling fentanyl and other drugs, with at least 104 killed in 28 known strikes since September. The strikes have faced scrutiny from US lawmakers and human rights activists, and critics say evidence is lacking and deaths amount to extrajudicial killings.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>The US Coast Guard is pursuing a third oil tanker near Venezuela in the Caribbean sea, a US official who spoke on condition of anonymity said, adding that the ship was part of a Venezuelan shadow fleet used to evade sanctions. <\/p>\n<p>The vessel, which was sailing in international waters near Venezuela, was reportedly sailing under a false flag and was subject to a judicial seizure order, the official briefed on the mission said. <\/p>\n<p>The identification of the vessel currently remains unclear, and another official claimed the ship had not yet been boarded.<\/p>\n<p>On Sunday, Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro denounced on Telegram the \"campaign of aggression that goes from psychological terrorism to corsairs attacking oil tankers,\" adding \u201cWe are ready to accelerate the pace of our deep revolution!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Following the previous seizure, Maduro vowed to not let it \"go unpunished,\" and said it would file complaints with the UN Security Council. <\/p>\n<p>The Pentagon and Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the US Coast Guard, redirected questions about the operation to the White House, which has not yet commented.<\/p>\n<p>If successful, the operation would be the second of its kind over the weekend and the third in less than two weeks. It is part of the Trump administration\u2019s broader campaign to crack down on sanctioned vessels linked to the Venezuelan government.<\/p>\n<p>The US seized a Panama-flagged oil tanker called Centuries on Saturday, and a sanctioned tanker called the Skipper on December 10. <\/p>\n<p>The reason for seizing the Centuries is less clear than the Skipper, which wasn\u2019t flying a nation\u2019s flag and was part of a shadow fleet moving sanctioned cargo. The White House similarly described Centuries as a \"falsely flagged vessel operating as part of the Venezuelan shadow fleet to traffic stolen oil\". <\/p>\n<p>However, maritime historian Dr Salvatore Mercogliano said shipping databases show the Centuries appeared legal. \u201cEverything indicates that she is a properly registered vessel,\u201d he said, though he added it likely carried sanctioned oil.<\/p>\n<p>Last week, the Trump administration announced a \"blockade\" of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving the country, demanding the return of assets seized from US oil companies years ago. <\/p>\n<p>\"President Trump has been clear: the blockade of sanctioned oil tankers departing from, or bound for, Venezuela will remain in full force until Maduro\u2019s criminal enterprise returns every stolen American asset,\" US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on X. <\/p>\n<p>US Homeland Security Advisor and close aide to Trump, Stephen Miller, has previously suggested Venezuela's oil belongs to Washington, and that the US \"created the oil industry\" due to its role in the early development of the sector. In 1976, Venezuela nationalised its oil industry and created the state-owned oil and natural gas company PDVSA to control its oil resources.<\/p>\n<p>The US has also targeted vessels it says are smuggling fentanyl and other drugs, with at least 104 killed in 28 known strikes since September. The strikes have faced scrutiny from US lawmakers and human rights activists, and critics say evidence is lacking and deaths amount to extrajudicial killings.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1766374653,"updatedAt":1766402504,"publishedAt":1766377644,"firstPublishedAt":1766377644,"lastPublishedAt":1766390487,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo\/Matias Delacroix","altText":"Evana, an oil tanker, is docked at El Palito port in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025.","callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"caption":"Evana, an oil tanker, is docked at El Palito port in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025.","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/03\/01\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_91eae5ca-ef92-55f2-8b78-fdfadbe6fd73-9590301.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1125}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"dom","twitter":"@evelyn_dom","id":3110,"title":"Evelyn Ann-Marie Dom"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","titleRaw":"Venezuela","id":450,"title":"Venezuela","slug":"venezuela"},{"urlSafeValue":"united-states","titleRaw":"United States ","id":13363,"title":"United States ","slug":"united-states"},{"urlSafeValue":"oil-tanker","titleRaw":"Oil tanker","id":12135,"title":"Oil tanker","slug":"oil-tanker"}],"widgets":[],"related":[{"id":2856279},{"id":2855856},{"id":2855821}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"BKAYCVD0-ak","dailymotionId":"x9w79fe"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"duration":62000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":11788633,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/ED\/32\/23\/32\/02\/ED_PYR_3223322_20251222112145.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"md"},{"duration":62000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":16326387,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/SHD\/32\/23\/32\/02\/SHD_PYR_3223322_20251222112145.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"hd"},{"duration":62000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":49792690,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/FHD\/32\/23\/32\/02\/FHD_PYR_3223322_20251222112145.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"1080p"}],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"AP","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"news","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":1,"title":"News","slug":"news"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":4392,"urlSafeValue":"america","title":"America"},"country":{"id":298,"urlSafeValue":"venezuela","title":"Venezuela","url":"\/news\/america\/venezuela"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/2025\/12\/22\/us-pursuing-third-oil-tanker-in-international-waters-near-venezuela","lastModified":1766390487}]">
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