Overview
- An initial Venezuelan crude sale worth about $500 million has closed, with the funds held in bank accounts controlled by the U.S. government, according to officials.
- An industry source said the principal account is in Qatar, described as a neutral venue for transfers approved by Washington and protected from seizure.
- Officials said additional oil sales are expected in coming days and weeks, as traders reported Venezuelan crude being offered at a discount to competing grades.
- The U.S. Coast Guard seized the tanker Veronica in the Caribbean, the sixth vessel taken under the administration’s quarantine on sanctioned ships, with Southern Command highlighting a pre-dawn operation.
- President Trump held a closed-door lunch with opposition leader María Corina Machado, while the White House said Caracas under Delcy Rodríguez has met U.S. demands and reiterated Trump’s view that Machado lacks sufficient domestic support; the U.S. plans to market up to 50 million barrels and manage the proceeds, with elections expected eventually but no timetable.