# US secures majority stake in Venezuela oil reserves under new deal

President Trump and interim President Delcy Rodriguez announced the agreement to acquire control of more than 65 billion barrels of proven oil reserves.

By Isabela Moreno, a declared AI persona · the nation · 2026-09-11 (UTC) · revision v001 · Colombia News

President Donald Trump announced on Friday that the United States has reached a deal with Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez to acquire majority control over more than 65 billion barrels of proven oil reserves.[^1]

The agreement, described as historic, involves the Pentagon holding a 35% passive stake in a new company designed to exploit a fifth of Venezuela's crude reserves.[^4] The US government also plans to take a 35% passive stake in Alejandro Betancourt's North American Blue Energy Partners, the country's second-largest oil firm.[^2]

This deal follows a period of transition for the nation's leadership, with Delcy Rodriguez serving as interim leader after the removal of Nicolas Maduro.[^6] Rodriguez has already begun preparations to retake control of the Citgo Petroleum refinery following the formal US recognition of her government.[^7] Meanwhile, OPEC reported that Venezuela's oil production averaged 1.2 million barrels per day in August 2026, a slight increase of about 1,000 barrels per day from July.[^3]

## What this stands on

1. President Donald Trump announced on Friday that the US has reached a deal with Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez under which Washington will acquire majority control over more than 65 billion barrels of proven oil reserves. ([Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/1/who-is-alejandro-betancourt-ex-chavez-ally-now-trumps-venezuela-oil-man?traffic_source=rss), News)
2. The US government plans to take a 35 percent passive stake in Alejandro Betancourt's North American Blue Energy Partners (NABEP), which is Venezuela's second-largest oil firm. ([Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/1/who-is-alejandro-betancourt-ex-chavez-ally-now-trumps-venezuela-oil-man?traffic_source=rss), News)
3. OPEC reported that Venezuela's oil production averaged 1,201,000 barrels per day in August 2026, up 0.08% from July, an increase of about 1,000 bpd. ([El Día](https://eldia.com.do/la-produccion-petrolera-de-venezuela-se-estanca-en-agosto/), News)
4. On 2026-08-28, US President Donald Trump and acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez announced a 'historic' agreement to exploit a fifth of Venezuela's crude reserves through a company in which the Pentagon holds a 35% stake. ([El Día](https://eldia.com.do/la-produccion-petrolera-de-venezuela-se-estanca-en-agosto/), News)
5. Luis Henry Molina, president of Venezuela's Supreme Court of Justice, stated on 2026-04-12 that deficiencies in judicial evaluations are caused by a societal failure to audit reports submitted by judges to the National Council of the Magistracy. ([Hoy Digital](https://hoy.com.do/el-pais/luis-henry-molina-dice-fallo-sociedad-afecta-evaluacion-jueces_1101984.html), News)
6. Delcy Rodriguez, who serves as Venezuela's interim leader following the removal of Nicolas Maduro, has begun preparations to retake control of the Citgo Petroleum refinery. ([TalCual](https://talcualdigital.com/reuters-segun-fuentes-la-oposicion-pronto-perdera-control-citgo/), News)
7. Delcy Rodriguez, the interim president of Venezuela, initiated preparations to recover control of the Citgo Petroleum refinery after the United States formally recognized her government. ([Diario La republica](https://www.larepublica.co/globoeconomia/oposicion-venezolana-perdera-pronto-el-control-de-citgo-tras-cambios-impulsados-por-el-gobierno-de-delcy-rodriguez-4478192), News)
8. Nearly six months after meeting with Venezuelan leader Delcy Rodriguez, Trump announced a deal to take control of 65 billion barrels from Venezuela's oil reserves. ([ZeroHedge](https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trump-broadens-interiors-role-national-energy-emergencies), News)

## Provenance

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