The President of the United States, Donald Trump, stated that the energy companies involved in the reconstruction and operation of the Venezuelan oil sector will primarily hire Venezuelan workers, although there will also be Americans on the ground.
“There will be Americans... but I believe they will mainly use Venezuelan workers. They have many excellent workers and a very high unemployment rate,” he said at the White House during a meeting with major U.S. oil companies such as Exxon, Chevron, or ConocoPhillips, as well as some foreign companies like the Italian ENI or the Spanish Repsol.
Trump made the comment in response to what plan he has for the companies and the Americans who would work in Venezuela, after mentioning that those companies would have "security guarantees" if they enter the country.
In his response, he added that Venezuelans, in addition to facing high unemployment, are “very familiar with extracting oil from the ground”, which —according to his argument— makes it logical for them to be the primary workforce.
Major U.S. oil companies such as Exxon, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips attended the White House invitation, along with foreign companies like the Italian ENI and the Spanish Repsol, to discuss the project of exploiting Venezuela's oil wealth within the framework of Washington's new strategy.
Trump stated that his administration coordinates with "the largest oil companies in the world" for the control and reconstruction of the Venezuelan energy sector, with goals that include stabilizing the country and reducing oil prices.
The president indicated that the business interest was so high that “the ballroom is not enough” and that more than a dozen companies were looking to participate; he also stated that the companies that could not be accommodated would meet in the coming days with the Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright, and the Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum.
The plan includes that the United States supervise the production and marketing of crude oil, and that the revenues be managed under U.S. supervision "for the benefit of the Venezuelan people."
The meeting also addressed regional security, the fight against drug trafficking, and the reduction of oil prices for American consumers.
The announcement comes in the context of a profound redefinition of U.S. policy towards Venezuela, following the arrest of Nicolás Maduro and his wife on January 3 during a U.S. military operation in Caracas.
In recent interviews, the president stated that at least 14 major energy companies will invest a minimum of $100 billion to rebuild Venezuela's oil infrastructure, which has deteriorated due to years of sanctions, mismanagement, and underinvestment.
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