ASIATODAY.ID, WASHINGTON – The United States has begun monetizing Venezuelan crude seized following its recent military action against the South American country, marking a decisive step in Washington’s effort to take control of Venezuela’s vast energy resources.
The first contract to sell the confiscated oil has been awarded to Vitol, a global commodities trader with close ties to President Donald Trump’s political circle, according to the Financial Times.
The deal represents the first concrete move by the Trump administration to assert control over Venezuelan oil assets since the abduction and rendition of President Nicolas Maduro on January 3. US officials have repeatedly stated that securing Venezuela’s oil production and exports is the central pillar of Washington’s strategy toward the country.
Following Maduro’s seizure, Trump said the US would effectively “run” Venezuela during a transitional period and demanded “total access… to the oil and to other things in their country.” Those remarks now appear to be materializing through the sale of crude intercepted and seized by US forces.
According to the Financial Times, the initial cargo was awarded to Vitol through a closed auction organized by the US Department of Energy. The sale is part of a broader plan to market up to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan crude currently under US control.
A key figure in the deal is John Addison, a senior Vitol trader who reportedly met Trump at the White House last week.
Addison has donated more than $6 million to political action committees backing Trump’s reelection campaign. Sources cited by the FT also said that rival energy trader Trafigura has purchased around $250 million worth of Venezuelan crude under the same program.
US media outlets, citing unnamed Trump administration officials, reported that additional sales are expected to be finalized in the coming days and weeks.
The crude being sold was seized under Operation Southern Spear, a US military campaign targeting tankers allegedly linked to sanctioned oil flows from Venezuela, Iran, and Russia. In recent weeks, the US military and Coast Guard have taken control of at least six vessels in international waters.
One of them, the Russian-flagged tanker Marinera, was intercepted northwest of Scotland. Moscow has condemned the seizure as a violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and has demanded the immediate release of President Nicolas Maduro.
With the sale of seized crude now underway, Washington is no longer relying solely on sanctions and military pressure.
The United States is effectively grasping and directing the flow of Venezuelan oil, intensifying global criticism that geopolitics, military power, and domestic political interests are increasingly intertwined in the struggle over the world’s energy resources. (AT Network)
Follow Us at Google News and WA Channel