The Trump administration informed interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez that the regime must comply with White House demands before being allowed to increase oil production, writes ABC.
Washington insists that Venezuela must expel advisors and agents from Russia, China, Iran, and Cuba from the country, and also sever economic ties with these countries.
Secondly, Venezuela must agree to an exclusive partnership with the US in oil extraction and prioritize America when selling heavy crude oil.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated at a closed briefing for lawmakers that the US could force Venezuela to make concessions, as its available tankers are full. Rubio also noted: according to US estimates, Caracas has only a couple of weeks before the country becomes financially insolvent without selling its oil reserves.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker confirmed that the US plan is based on controlling Venezuelan oil. He added that he does not believe this would require the deployment of American troops.
«The government really intends to control the oil by taking ships and tankers under supervision, and none of them will go to Havana. And until they start moving — we hope, to the open market — there are no more tankers to fill, because they are full to the brim,» Wicker said.
The White House did not deny this information. A senior administration official stated:
«President Trump speaks of using maximum leverage on the remaining elements in Venezuela to ensure their cooperation with the United States in stopping illegal migration, drug trafficking, restoring oil infrastructure, and acting in the interest of the Venezuelan people.»
Wicker reported that Venezuela no longer has available tankers for oil transportation.
«According to my information, Venezuela can no longer extract crude oil because there is nowhere to put it and nowhere to send it. The tankers are full and waiting to be sent to an appropriate place — hopefully, for sale on the open market, and not to be given for free to China,» Wicker noted.
Trump wrote on social media that Venezuela's «interim authorities» would hand over 30 to 50 million barrels of oil to the US for sale at market price. Trump stated that these funds would be under his control, «to ensure their use for the benefit of the people of Venezuela and the United States!».
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