US President Donald Trump has said Venezuela will hand over as much as 50 million barrels of oil to the United States following a US military operation that removed President Nicolás Maduro from power, marking a dramatic escalation in Washington’s long-running confrontation with the South American nation and raising serious legal, diplomatic and economic questions.
Speaking publicly after the operation, Trump said the oil transfer would be part of a broader post-intervention arrangement with Venezuela’s interim authorities. He estimated the value of the oil at about $2.8 billion and described the barrels as high-quality crude that would be shipped to the US, sold at prevailing market prices and placed under US control. Trump said the proceeds would be managed by the US government, claiming the arrangement would ultimately benefit both the American economy and the Venezuelan people, BBC reported on Wednesday.
The latest announcement followed US' recent military action that Trump said resulted in the removal of Maduro from power, an unprecedented step that has stunned regional governments and global markets. Details of the operation remain limited, but reports from Caracas indicate that the intervention triggered violent clashes and casualties among Venezuelan security forces, further deepening political instability in a country already grappling with years of economic collapse and social distress.
Trump framed the oil transfer as compensation and as a stabilising measure during a transitional period in Venezuela, arguing that the country’s vast energy resources had been mismanaged under Maduro’s rule. He said the US would temporarily oversee aspects of Venezuela’s energy sector while a new political framework is put in place, and suggested that American energy companies could eventually play a role in reviving the country’s oil industry.
The proposal has triggered sharp reactions internationally. Critics have questioned the legality of seizing or redirecting a sovereign nation’s natural resources following a military intervention, warning that the move could violate international law and set a dangerous precedent. Several governments have expressed concern over the erosion of Venezuelan sovereignty, while calls have grown for an independent international assessment of the intervention and its aftermath.
The oil plan also carries implications for global energy markets. Venezuela, home to the world’s largest proven oil reserves, has seen production plunge over the past decade due to sanctions, underinvestment and infrastructure decay. A sudden diversion of tens of millions of barrels to the US could disrupt existing trade flows and add uncertainty to an already volatile oil market, even as analysts question how quickly such volumes could realistically be produced and exported.
Within Venezuela, the announcement has added to confusion and tension. While Trump has spoken of cooperation with interim authorities, there is no clarity on the legitimacy or scope of any agreement to transfer oil assets. Opposition figures and civil society groups have warned that any deals struck under foreign military pressure risk deepening internal divisions and undermining prospects for a stable political transition.
As events continue to unfold, the focus is shifting to how the US intends to implement the oil transfer, how the international community will respond, and what the intervention means for Venezuela’s future. The situation remains fluid, with significant geopolitical, economic and humanitarian consequences likely to emerge in the days and weeks ahead.