U.S. Sets Three-Phase Venezuela Plan and Asserts Control Over Oil Sales

Overview

• Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined stabilization, recovery and transition as the roadmap, saying interim authorities led by Delcy Rodríguez operate under strong U.S. influence.
• President Trump said 30–50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil will be sold under U.S. oversight, and he later insisted proceeds will fund purchases limited to U.S.-made goods such as food, medicines and power equipment.
• The White House press secretary said the U.S. has begun marketing Venezuelan crude and will keep revenues in U.S. accounts, while the Energy Secretary signaled control of future sales indefinitely.
• PDVSA confirmed it is negotiating "volumes of oil" sales to the United States, describing the talks as a legal, transparent commercial process similar to existing arrangements with Chevron.
• House Speaker Mike Johnson said the U.S. is not at war, describing the Caracas operation that captured Nicolás Maduro as lawful and short of a traditional armed conflict.