Venezuela's oil exports have reached a seven-year high following the January capture and deportation of Nicolás Maduro, but the revenue from those sales flows to Washington rather than Venezuelan citizens still reeling from the world's worst peacetime economic collapse.
Since Operation Absolute Resolve resulted in Maduro's capture and transfer to US custody in January, oil sales have exceeded $1 billion, with $5 billion expected by year's end, according to industry analysts. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright visited Venezuela in February to assess oil infrastructure and coordinate production increases.
The interim government under acting president Rodríguez collaborated in the capture and deportation of Alex Saab, Maduro's close ally and alleged financial facilitator, cementing Washington's control over Venezuelan oil revenue streams. The arrangement has drawn sharp criticism from analysts and Venezuelan civil society organizations.
A recent Center for Strategic and International Studies report characterized the situation as "a military victory with no viable endgame," questioning the long-term sustainability of US control over Venezuelan resources without a clear democratic transition plan.
In Venezuela, as across nations experiencing collapse, oil wealth that once seemed a blessing became a curse—and ordinary people pay the price. The country's oil production, while recovering, remains only a fraction of pre-crisis levels due to catastrophic infrastructure decay during the Maduro years.
"Oil flowing and money flowing—but to Washington, not to Venezuelans," wrote one Venezuelan exile on social media. "This isn't liberation, it's resource extraction with extra steps."
Energy sector analysts note that full recovery would require a decade of sustained investment. Current production increases rely on existing infrastructure brought partially back online, rather than new development that would signal genuine long-term commitment to Venezuelan economic recovery.
The UN Security Council remains deeply divided on the crisis. In January, China and Russia condemned the operation, while most Global South nations abstained, reflecting widespread international skepticism about US actions despite opposition to Maduro's authoritarian rule.
For the seven million Venezuelans who fled the country during the economic collapse—representing one-quarter of the population—the oil revenue arrangements offer little hope of conditions improving enough to return home. Most remain in Colombia, Peru, and Chile, where they continue to strain regional resources and face discrimination.
The humanitarian toll continues unabated. Hyperinflation, food scarcity, and healthcare collapse persist despite political changes, with ordinary Venezuelans seeing little benefit from oil production increases that once would have funded robust social programs.
Environmental groups have also pressed the interim government to address illegal mining in the Amazon region, adding another dimension to questions about who controls and benefits from Venezuelan natural resources in the post-Maduro era.
The fundamental question remains unanswered: when Washington controls the revenue, who governs for the Venezuelan people?
