Trump Praises Venezuela’s New Leader As Oil Production Surges
President Donald Trump praised Venezuela’s interim leadership on Wednesday as the country’s oil exports surge following the capture of longtime dictator Nicolás Maduro.
Trump highlighted the role of interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez, saying she has been working closely with American officials as Venezuela’s oil industry begins ramping back up.
“Delcy Rodríguez, who is the President of Venezuela, is doing a great job, and working with U.S. Representatives very well,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “The Oil is beginning to flow, and the professionalism and dedication between both Countries is a very nice thing to see!”
Venezuela has significantly increased oil production since Maduro’s removal from power. The country doubled its oil exports in February to roughly 788,000 barrels per day, according to reporting cited by Bloomberg.
Trump administration officials say the surge is the result of U.S. oversight and cooperation with Venezuela’s new leadership following the operation that captured Maduro earlier this year.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum met with Rodríguez in Caracas on Wednesday along with representatives from roughly two dozen mining and mineral companies. The meeting focused on expanding economic cooperation and encouraging capital investment in Venezuela’s resource sectors.
Burgum, who also leads the administration’s National Energy Dominance Council, said the partnership could help rebuild Venezuela’s economy while strengthening energy cooperation with the United States.
“When we are working together it can only mean two things,” Burgum said. “Prosperity for the people of Venezuela and for the citizens of the United States, and it also brings peace and stability for the world.”
According to administration officials, the companies present at the meeting represent billions of dollars in potential investment and thousands of future jobs tied to energy and mining development.
Rodríguez also signaled that Venezuela may revise its mining laws to allow increased foreign investment, which could further expand economic ties with American companies.
The developments mark a dramatic shift in U.S.–Venezuela relations after Trump authorized military action earlier this year that resulted in Maduro’s capture and extradition to the United States to face drug trafficking conspiracy charges.
Since then, the Trump administration has overseen Venezuela’s state-run oil industry while allowing controlled exports that have primarily benefited American energy companies. U.S. refiners, including Chevron, are reportedly receiving their largest shipments of Venezuelan crude in several years.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright said earlier this year that controlling the flow of Venezuelan oil provides the United States with significant leverage over the country’s future reforms.
“If we control the flow of oil, the sales of that oil, and the flow of the cash that comes from those sales, we have large leverage,” Wright said.