# U.S.–Venezuela Oil Deal Gives Washington 35% Stake in Company Tapping Vast Reserves

*Sunday, August 30, 2026 at 8:05 AM UTC — Hamer Intelligence Services Desk*

**Published**: 2026-08-30T08:05:25.198Z (3h ago)
**Category**: markets | **Region**: Latin America
**Importance**: 9/10
**Sources**: OSINT
**Permalink**: https://hamerintel.com/data/articles/16266.md
**Source**: https://hamerintel.com/summaries

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**Deck**: The Trump administration has agreed to take a 35% passive stake in a Venezuelan oil company tied to an estimated 65 billion barrels of reserves, in a 25‑year deal that Caracas says could revive state revenues and lift production.

A new U.S.–Venezuela energy agreement would give Washington a significant financial stake in one of the world’s largest crude reserves while offering Caracas a potential path to economic recovery.

The Trump administration has agreed for the U.S. government to take a 35% passive equity stake in a Venezuelan oil company that could develop 17 oilfields holding an estimated 65 billion barrels of reserves, according to public accounts of the deal. The Pentagon’s Office of Strategic Capital would finance the investment, while Venezuela retains ownership of its resources.

Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, said the agreement will run for 25 years and aims to raise national oil production to more than 1.5 million barrels per day. She said it covers 17 oilfields and eight new exploration blocks, and estimated it could generate about $209 billion in state revenue and help revive the country’s economy.

For Venezuela, oil remains the main source of public income. A sustained increase in output and revenue could influence whether the government can stabilise basic services and address a deep social and economic crisis, even as a long‑term partnership with Washington raises domestic questions over control of national wealth.

For the United States, a 35% stake in a Venezuelan producer would provide preferential access to a large heavy‑crude resource and give U.S. officials a direct financial interest in the performance of Venezuelan assets. It also creates a new lever in future discussions over sanctions, debt and political conditions.

The agreement marks a shift from years of isolation and sanctions pressure to a model of structured cooperation. Turning reserves into actual production will still require large capital investment and upgrades to Venezuela’s oil infrastructure.

Signals to watch include legal and legislative steps to formalise the U.S. stake, reactions from other creditors and oil companies with interests in Venezuela, and how both Washington and Caracas link the deal to broader talks on sanctions relief and domestic political arrangements.