Trump Admin: Venezuela Suddenly a Good Country for Oil
Bloomberg reports former President Trump stating that Venezuela could send up to $2.8 billion in oil to the U.S. This comes after years of crippling sanctions imposed by both the Trump and Biden administrations, ostensibly to punish the Maduro regime for 'undermining democracy' and 'human rights abuses.' (Funny how those concerns evaporate faster than crude in the desert when Western tanks need
fuel.) Remember when Venezuela was branded a pariah state, its oil industry targeted, and its leaders labeled dictators? The US spent years attempting to unseat Maduro, pushing for regime change and backing an opposition figure, Juan Guaidó, who was laughably declared 'interim president.' Now, with global oil markets volatile and new 'enemies' taking center stage, suddenly Venezuela's crude isn't
so tainted. It appears the 'rules-based order' is less about rules and more about who's got the black gold we need right now. One might wonder what changed in Caracas, or if the 'principles' were always just performative.