In his much-anticipated speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, U.S. President Donald Trump surprised the international community with a bold prediction about the immediate future of Venezuela.
In a triumphant tone, and after reviewing the new political landscape in Caracas, the leader asserted that the South American country "will earn more money in the next six months than in the last twenty years", thanks to a oil agreement forged with the U.S. following the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
An unexpected cooperation following Maduro's fall
Trump began his speech by highlighting what he called a "radical change" in Venezuelan leadership.
He stated that following the military operation on January 3 in Caracas—during which Nicolás Maduro was captured on drug trafficking charges—the new authorities acted swiftly to establish a framework for cooperation with the United States.
“The leaders of the country have been very good (...), very, very clever”, Trump said in front of business leaders and heads of state gathered in Switzerland.
"Once the attack was over, they said, 'Let's make a deal,'" he added.
The president specifically referred to Delcy Rodríguez, former vice president under Maduro and current head of the Venezuelan interim government, as a key figure in this new phase.
Rodríguez, in addition to maintaining political control, serves as the Minister of Hydrocarbons in a context where Washington controls the international sales of Venezuelan oil.
Venezuelan oil: the promise of a boon
Trump emphasized the significance of the agreement: the United States has acquired 50 million barrels of high-quality Venezuelan oil, a move that, as he explained, will benefit both Caracas and Washington.
“We are helping them, and we will distribute those 50 million barrels with them. They will make more money than they have in a long time,” he stated.
The president predicted that Venezuela "is going to do fantastically well," thanks to the relaunch of its energy industry with direct involvement from American companies.
According to his words, the country will experience an unprecedented financial recovery: “Venezuela will make more money [from oil] in the next six months than it did in the last 20 years.”
However, news agencies point out that these claims contrast with the warnings from the International Energy Agency (IEA), which reminded this Wednesday that Venezuelan crude is extra heavy and requires costly and complex processes for its extraction and refining.
The IEA questioned whether the country can reach its historical production levels again in the short term, even with foreign investment.
First earnings and economic priorities
Delcy Rodríguez confirmed on Tuesday that the initial revenues from this new phase of oil sales are already reaching the Venezuelan coffers.
"Three hundred million of the 500 million dollars anticipated have been received from oil sales," he stated in a televised speech on the state channel VTV.
Rodríguez assured that these resources will be allocated to economic protection policies: “The revenues will be used to finance workers' income and protect the purchasing power of Venezuelans against inflation, as well as the negative impact of fluctuations in the exchange market.”
Conclusion: a new energy and political order
Trump's speech in Davos not only marked a shift in U.S. policy towards Venezuela, but also presents a geopolitical scenario where control of oil and strategic alliances redraw the balance of power in Latin America.
If the promises of economic prosperity materialize, Venezuela could enter a new phase of recovery, albeit with significant external dependencies and unresolved structural challenges.
However, doubts persist regarding the sustainability of this model, its internal legitimacy, and the true extent of cooperation between Caracas and Washington in a country devastated by years of political, economic, and social crisis.
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