Fox News interrupted its regular programming with an urgent update, reporting that President Donald Trump had not been seen publicly for three days. When he finally appeared at the White House, he held a meeting with top oil executives to outline what he called a bold energy initiative. Speaking alongside business leaders, Trump announced that Venezuela would transfer between 30 million and 50 million barrels of oil to the United States. He claimed that the proceeds from the sale would be controlled by the U.S. government. “Thirty million barrels of oil were given to us by Venezuela… we want to thank Venezuela for that,” Trump said.
The session with oil executives was described as a major strategy meeting, with Trump presenting plans for U.S. companies to invest heavily in Venezuela’s oil infrastructure and potentially influence global energy markets. His absence from public view since the announcement has left both allies and critics speculating about his motives and the handling of the controversial plan. Analysts suggest that the sensitive nature of the oil transfer, combined with recent U.S. operations in the region including the seizure of multiple Venezuelan tankers has contributed to the media scrutiny.
Meanwhile, U.S. military operations connected to Venezuela’s oil exports continue to intensify. On Friday, American forces boarded the oil tanker Olina in the Caribbean, marking the latest in a series of actions aimed at controlling Venezuelan crude shipments. U.S. Southern Command confirmed the operation, which occurred shortly after Trump publicly praised Venezuela’s new leadership for cooperating and releasing several political prisoners. The Olina is the fifth tanker seized or intercepted by U.S. forces in the past month. Earlier this week, two other ships, including the Marinera, were taken after a week-long pursuit across the North Atlantic. Notably, no court-issued warrant was obtained for the Olina’s seizure.
These developments have drawn attention beyond Venezuela. Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum was asked whether similar naval pressure could be applied against her country in addressing drug cartels. She firmly rejected the idea, emphasizing Mexico’s commitment to defending its territorial integrity and water sovereignty while cooperating internationally. Her comments came after Trump told Fox News that the U.S. might begin “hitting land” to tackle cartels, warning that “the cartels are running Mexico.” His remarks have sparked concerns among regional leaders about the extent of U.S. intervention in neighboring countries.
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