US President Donald Trump speaks to the press following US military actions in Venezuela, at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, on January 3, 2026. President Trump said Saturday that US forces had captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro after launching a "large scale strike" on the South American country. Photo: AFP / JIM WATSON
US President Donald Trump speaks to the press on January 3 at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.
US President Donald Trump has said Friday (US time) that oil companies would deal with the United States government, not Venezuela, when exploiting that country's oil reserves.
"You're dealing with us directly, you're not dealing with Venezuela at all, we don't want you to deal with Venezuela," Trump told a gathering of oil company executives at the White House.
Having deposed leftist leader Nicolas Maduro, the Trump administration has said they will control Venezuela's oil sales indefinitely.
-AFP