Venezuela Oil Industry Under US Control After Maduro Capture: US President Donald Trump

The United States signals increased involvement in Venezuela's oil sector following Maduro's capture, citing narco-terrorism indictments and a legal framework for the operation; officials praise special forces and outline a future US role in energy access.

The United States government signalled deeper control over the Venezuela oil industry after an operation that US President Donald Trump said resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, with Trump stating that Washington would be "very strongly involved" in the Latin American country's crucial energy sector.

Trump, speaking on Fox News, said major US energy firms would move into the Venezuela oil industry after the operation. Trump said, "We have the greatest oil companies in the world, the biggest and the best, and we're going to be very much involved in it," stressing the scale of the planned role.

Venezuela oil industry and Trump administration justification

Questions quickly surfaced about the legality of the cross-border action targeting Maduro, but US Vice President JD Vance argued that legal grounds already existed. Vance said Maduro was under several United States indictments linked to narco-terrorism, which the administration used as a central justification for the operation and its aftermath.

Vance responded to critics by highlighting charges pending against Maduro in US courts. Referring to Maduro's situation, Vance stated, "You don't get to avoid justice for drug trafficking in the United States because you live in a palace in Caracas," arguing that residence or political office should not block prosecution.

Venezuela oil industry, drug trafficking claims and US operation

The vice president said the White House had given Maduro repeated warnings and what Vance called "multiple off ramps" to change course. According to Vance, the administration believed drug trafficking from Venezuela and what Vance labelled "stolen oil" required a hard response after those earlier diplomatic signals did not bring results.

In a post on X, Vance wrote that "The drug trafficking must stop, and the stolen oil must be returned to the United States," directly linking the Venezuela oil industry to alleged criminal activity. Vance said Maduro was now "the newest person to find out that President Trump means what he says", referring to Trump's earlier threats.

Vance also turned attention to the military units that carried out the operation in Venezuela. Praising the elite troops, Vance said, "Kudos to our brave special operators who pulled off a truly impressive operation," crediting American special forces for executing the mission that the administration said secured Maduro.

By linking the Venezuela oil industry to alleged narco-terrorism and "stolen oil", Trump and Vance framed the operation as both a security move and an energy decision. Their comments pointed to a larger US economic presence in Venezuela while defending the mission as enforcement of existing US indictments.