The recent arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in New York has reignited discussions around former President Donald Trump‘s comments from 2023 regarding Venezuela’s oil reserves. As Maduro confronts serious legal challenges in the United States, footage of Trump expressing his desire to take over Venezuela’s oil industry has garnered significant attention on social media.
In a recording from March 2023, Trump lamented what he viewed as a missed opportunity, claiming that when he left office, Venezuela was “ready to collapse.” He stated, “We would have taken it over… We would have got all that oil.” Trump’s remarks highlighted his belief that the United States could have intervened to secure Venezuela’s vast natural resources, which include the world’s largest oil reserves, estimated at 300 billion barrels—33 billion barrels more than Saudi Arabia’s reserves.
Trump criticized the current U.S. administration for its decision to purchase oil from the Maduro government, suggesting it enriched a regime he deemed dictatorial. “But now we’re buying oil from Venezuela,” he said, adding, “So we’re making a dictator very rich. Can you believe this?” His comments reflect a long-standing frustration with U.S. energy policy towards Venezuela, particularly during a time of rising global oil prices.
In the same remarks, Trump disparaged the quality of Venezuelan oil, referring to it as “garbage” and “horrible.” Despite this, he proposed investing billions of dollars to reform Venezuela’s oil infrastructure, aiming to leverage American expertise to restore the country’s oil industry. “They stole our oil. They took it over like it was nothing,” Trump asserted, indicating his intent to reestablish control over the oil sector in Venezuela for mutual benefit.
In the wake of Maduro’s arrest, skepticism regarding the circumstances surrounding his capture has emerged. Observers noted Maduro’s relaxed demeanor during his transport to the United States, which they found inconsistent with the gravity of his legal situation. Social media users highlighted his frequent changes of clothing, likening it to the wardrobe changes of a performer on a Broadway stage or a cast member of a popular television show, leading to speculation that his arrest could have been orchestrated.
Some commentators have posited that Maduro may have engaged in a secret agreement with Trump, given the former president’s overt interest in Venezuela’s oil resources. The complexities of this situation underscore the intersection of international politics and energy security, particularly as the world grapples with the implications of leadership changes and geopolitical dynamics in oil-rich regions.
As the situation unfolds, both Trump’s statements and Maduro’s arrest will likely continue to spark debates about foreign policy, energy independence, and the future of U.S.-Venezuela relations.
