Overview
- U.S. forces detained President Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 3, transferred him to New York, and reports say he is expected to appear in court on Jan. 5 on U.S. charges.
- President Trump urged major U.S. oil companies to return to Venezuela and invest billions to repair damaged infrastructure and revive production.
- Chevron remains the principal U.S. operator under limited authorizations, as the administration encourages majors to develop fields and expand stakes.
- Analysts cite extra‑heavy crude, degraded infrastructure, security risks, sanctions exposure, and multiyear multibillion‑dollar costs as barriers to rapid output growth.
- Trump warned Vice President Delcy Rodríguez of a "very large price" for noncompliance and voiced interest in Greenland’s resources, while regional neighbors and EU states issued formal condemnations on legal and sovereignty grounds.