Trump demanded Venezuela break ties with China and Russia — media
Washington insists that the new government in Caracas should cooperate in the oil sector only with the US.
The administration of US President Donald Trump has issued an ultimatum to Venezuela's interim leadership, demanding that it sever ties with Washington's geopolitical rivals in exchange for permission to increase oil production, ABC News reported, citing sources.
According to the TV channel's sources, the White House has notified Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, of the need to fulfill a number of conditions. "First, according to sources, the country must expel China, Russia, Iran, and Cuba, as well as sever economic ties with them. Second, Venezuela must agree to an exclusive partnership with the US in oil production and give priority to America in the sale of heavy crude oil," ABC reports.
The White House did not deny this information, the TV channel notes.
During the reigns of Nicolás Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chávez, Venezuela was heavily dependent on these four countries for economic stability and security. Any move to sever ties with them would mean a complete political reorientation for Caracas, Bloomberg notes.
According to one of ABC's sources, US Secretary of State Mark Rubio said in a closed briefing for lawmakers that Washington has leverage over Venezuela. According to Rubio, Venezuelan tankers are filled to capacity, and without selling its oil reserves, Caracas faces financial insolvency within a few weeks, the TV channel reported.
On the night of January 7, Trump announced that Venezuela would begin shipping up to 50 million barrels of oil to the US for sale at market prices. According to Bloomberg estimates, the value of this shipment could exceed $2.8 billion at current prices. According to Trump, the proceeds will be controlled by him personally and will benefit both countries.
This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor
