Trump administration tells Venezuelan government it must meet four major demands before it can resume oil production

 The Trump administration has outlined a set of conditions Venezuela must meet before it can resume oil production, according to senior White House officials. During discussions led by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the administration reportedly told Venezuelas interim president, Delcy Rodrguez, that the country must sever ties with China, Iran, Russia and Cuba, and agree to partner exclusively with the United States on oil production. The officials said Rodrguez was also asked to prioritize the Trump administration and US oil companies in future oil sales. The White House declined to confirm or deny the reported demands, describing them as alleged. The development comes after US forces captured Venezuelas former president, Nicols Maduro, over the weekend. Sources familiar with the talks said Trump administration officials believe Venezuela can only survive economically for a few more weeks without relying on oil sales. The demands were made as the administration said it had reached an agreement with Venezuelas interim government to sell tens of millions of barrels of oil that have already been extracted. Rubio said proceeds from the sales would be controlled by the US government and distributed in a way that benefits the Venezuelan people rather than corruption or remnants of the former regime. Administration officials have also told US lawmakers that Venezuela must commit to holding free and fair elections, release political prisoners and dismantle drug gangs operating in the country. However, Rubio reportedly told lawmakers that the most urgent priorities are expelling foreign adversaries, cooperating on oil production and sales, and improving collaboration on counter-narcotics efforts. The administration has outlined a three-phase plan for Venezuela: stabilization, recovery and transition. Officials said the demands have been clearly communicated to Rodrguezs government, though it remains unclear whether Caracas has agreed to them. Senior officials added that a significant US military presence off Venezuelas coast is intended to apply pressure, leaving the interim government with little choice but to comply. If Rodrguez cooperates, the administration has indicated it may consider reviewing sanctions against Venezuela. Trump has privately told allies and advisers that he wants Iran, Russia and China out of the Western Hemisphere, with pressuring Venezuela to cut ties with them seen as a key first step. While plans are still being developed to expand oil extraction and rebuild Venezuelas energy infrastructure, officials said the immediate priority is preventing the country from supplying oil to US adversaries. Trump is also expected to meet with oil executives at the White House, including representatives from Chevron, Exxon Mobil and ConocoPhillips. Other US oil company executives are also expected to attend. The meeting follows Trumps statement that Venezuelas interim government will hand over between 30 and 50 million barrels of sanctioned oil to the United States, to be sold at market price, with the proceeds controlled by the US government. The post Trump administration tells Venezuelan government it must meet four major demandsbefore it can resume oil production appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.