U.S. Escalates Pressure on Venezuela by Seizing Control of Oil Revenue

The United States is intensifying its long-standing campaign to pressure the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by moving to directly seize and control the country's vital oil income. This strategy represents a significant escalation, shifting from broad sanctions to active control over Venezuela's primary economic lifeline.

According to officials, the U.S. plans to take indefinite control of revenue from Venezuelan oil sales [43939]. The goal is to prevent funds from reaching Maduro's administration and instead manage the profits through U.S. financial institutions, ostensibly to benefit the Venezuelan people [44154]. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the policy, stating the U.S. will take control of the revenue as part of a multi-phase plan for the country [44061].

This approach builds upon actions begun under former President Donald Trump. For years, the U.S. has enforced sanctions designed to choke off Venezuela's oil cash, including seizing tankers and their cargo at sea [25592][31372]. In some instances, intercepted oil has been sold, with the proceeds withheld from the Venezuelan state [32998]. A recent crackdown on specific tankers has at times paralyzed the country's crude exports, creating a severe financial crisis for the government [33551].

The U.S. has controlled accounts of Venezuela's state-owned oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA), since 2019, when it rejected Maduro's re-election and recognized opposition figure Juan Guaidó as interim president [43939]. The new measures aim to make this control over revenue permanent and open-ended.

Analysts note that oil income is the fundamental source of funding for Maduro's regime, and directly targeting it strikes at the heart of the government's stability [29376]. While the immediate impact on global oil markets may be limited due to Venezuela's already low production, the long-term U.S. control over the world's largest proven oil reserves could reshape energy geopolitics [41241].

The Venezuelan government has not issued a formal response to the latest reports outlining the indefinite revenue control plan. The move is certain to increase tensions between Washington and Caracas as the U.S. seeks to leverage economic pressure to force political change.