The United States has completed its first sale of Venezuelan oil under the Donald Trump administration, with the transaction valued at USD 500 million (around BGN 1.1 billion / €460 million), according to a report by Semafor. The sale comes shortly after the capture of former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro on January 3. Following Maduro’s arrest, Trump declared that the US would take control of Venezuela’s oil reserves and mobilize American companies to invest billions in rebuilding the country’s dilapidated oil infrastructure.

On January 9, Trump signed an executive order outlining how revenues from Venezuelan oil sales would be protected from US court claims or creditor actions, ensuring the funds remain in accounts controlled by the US government. Semafor reported that the primary account for these proceeds is in Qatar. White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers described the oil deal as “historic,” emphasizing its benefits for both American and Venezuelan citizens. Energy Secretary Chris Wright added that future oil sales are expected in the coming days and weeks, with the US overseeing the process.

Venezuela holds an estimated 303 billion barrels of crude oil, representing roughly a fifth of global reserves, according to the US Energy Information Administration. Trump has emphasized that major US oil companies will invest heavily to restore Venezuela’s oil sector, aiming to generate revenue and stabilize production.

In parallel with the economic measures, Trump spoke on the phone with Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, calling the discussion “long and productive.” Rodriguez, who assumed leadership after Maduro’s capture, described the call as conducted “within a framework of mutual respect,” noting that the two leaders discussed a bilateral agenda benefiting both nations, including oil, trade, minerals, and national security. On social media, Trump praised Rodriguez as a “terrific person” and said the partnership would make Venezuela “great and prosperous again, perhaps more so than ever before.”

Rodriguez’s interim government is navigating a delicate balance, seeking to maintain cordial relations with the US while managing Maduro loyalists still present in the security and intelligence apparatus. In her first press conference since taking power, she announced a new era of greater tolerance toward political opponents and continued the release of political prisoners, both Venezuelan and foreign, a process she credited to Maduro’s previous actions. Meanwhile, Maduro, now detained in the US, urged citizens to “trust Delcy and her team,” according to a message delivered by his son, Nicolas Maduro Guerra.

The Trump administration’s strategy appears focused on stabilizing Venezuela’s oil industry while asserting US oversight during the transition period, positioning both countries for a closely managed economic and political partnership.