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Donald Trump stated that the United States could finance the reconstruction of the Venezuelan oil industry, one of the hardest hit after years of economic collapse, sanctions, and mismanagement, as part of his strategy to intervene in the future of the South American country following the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
In an interview with NBC News, the U.S. president stated that Washington could subsidize an effort led by oil companies to rehabilitate Venezuela's energy infrastructure, a process that, he said, could take less than 18 months, although he warned it would involve a huge cost.
Trump explained that it would be the oil companies themselves that would initially cover the costs to kickstart the reconstruction, expecting to receive reimbursement later from the U.S. government or through revenue generated by the operation. "It will cost a lot of money," he acknowledged, referring to an energy system he described as deeply deteriorated.
The statements come at a time of high political uncertainty in Venezuela, just days after U.S. forces captured Maduro in Caracas and Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as his successor. Trump made it clear that any reconstruction plan would be under direct U.S. supervision and dependent on the cooperation of the new Venezuelan leadership.
The president insisted that his country is not at war with Venezuela, but rather against drug trafficking and the criminal networks that, according to him, have used the country as a platform. Under that argument, he justified both the operation against Maduro and the potential for deep economic involvement in strategic sectors such as oil.
Although Trump did not specify which companies would participate in the project or under what legal framework the investment would be made, his proposal reinforces the idea of a Venezuela managed under external oversight, where key decisions regarding natural resources would align with the energy and security interests of the United States.
The initiative also raises questions about the actual impact on the Venezuelan population, which has suffered for years from the decline in oil production, constant power outages, and the deterioration of basic services, while the major decisions concerning the country's future seem to be made outside its borders.
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