Name: Maduro accuses U.S. of pushing for regime change to get Venezuela’s oil
Uploaded: 2025-12-04T09:05:30.152Z
Duration: 2 min 53 s
Description: Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, more than five times more than the United States.

Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, more than five times more than the United States.

Caracas

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has alleged that the United States is using its increased military presence in the Caribbean as a means to pursue regime change and gain control over Venezuela's significant oil reserves. The US government, however, states that its operations are aimed at combating drug trafficking, specifically targeting boats carrying cocaine and fentanyl.

The deployment of 15,000 US troops marks the largest American military presence in the Caribbean since the Cuban Missile Crisis. Venezuela, which holds the world's largest crude oil reserves but faces heavy sanctions, has warned OPEC of US intentions. The situation has drawn international attention as observers await further actions from the White House.

Maduro accuses U.S. of pushing for regime change to get Venezuela’s oil

Puerto Rico is really close to Venezuela. About 800 kilometers across that sea is the world's largest known crude oil reserve. Is that what this military buildup is all about? No, claims the US. It is targeting what it says are drug boats bringing cocaine and fentanyl across the Caribbean. Washington has been bombing them for months. Yes, says Venezuela. The claim from Caracas, America wants its so-called black gold and it's pushing regime change. 15,000 troops are here now. The biggest US military deployment to the Caribbean since the Cuban Missile Crisis. If it's a very quick attack, there might be a blip in the oil prices and it'll come down. If the Americans decide to go for regime change or a longer term military presence, of course, it'll lead to more uncertainty. Venezuela had an estimated 303 billion barrels of crude as of 2023. That is more than Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. But it only exported $4 billion worth because it's hampered by sanctions brought in by President Trump his first time around. They are trying to get sympathy, mostly political sympathy. The US, by comparison, produces more oil than any other country in history and it's upping that. Remember this election promise? We will drill, baby, drill. But America can only produce light, sweet crude, good for gasoline, not much else. Venezuela's heavy, sour crude has more purposes. Think asphalt or diesel. And diesel is in tight supply globally because of those sanctions. Venezuela's president, Nicolas Maduro, has written to OPEC. That's the Group of Oil-Producing Nations. Venezuela was a founding member. He's warning them that the US is trying to steal what's theirs. Venezuela, for the American oil companies, will be a field day because it will be more than a trillion dollars in economic activity. Maduro saying, we've seen what happens when America tries to take another country's oil. And by that, he is referencing what is still very much a highly emotive subject in the United States. The 2003 invasion of and subsequent war in Iraq. I think Americans have already decided whether or not they're gonna support Trump in his foreign policy adventures without reference to Iraq. It's kind of baked in to how things are going. Ultimately, the US government says this is not about oil. This is about protecting Americans from a flood of narcotics. Fentanyl, particularly, has claimed a lot of lives. So could airstrikes if the order is given to launch them from Puerto Rico? Venezuelans, in fact, much of the world, now watching and waiting to see where the White House takes this next. Phil Lavelle, Al Jazeera, Sabre, Puerto Rico.

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