U.S. completes first sale of Venezuelan oil, valued at $500 million, official says

January 15, 2026

TL;DR

The first U.S. sale of Venezuelan oil, worth $500 million, has been completed.
President Trump plans for the U.S. to sell 30 million to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil.
U.S. companies are expected to invest in restoring Venezuela's oil infrastructure.
Proceeds from the sales are to be divided among Venezuelans, U.S. companies, and the U.S. government.
ExxonMobil CEO expressed concerns about Venezuela's uninvestable status due to legal and commercial structure issues.
The U.S. has previously imposed heavy sanctions on Venezuelan oil.
A majority of Americans believe the U.S. should have little to no control in Venezuela.
The Energy Secretary stated there is a "very real possibility" of a U.S. stake in Venezuela's oil.

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