Trump Uses Iran Energy Crisis to Justify Venezuela Oil Grab

In response to President Trump’s announcement that the United States will take majority control of 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil, Allie Rosenbluth, Oil Change International US Program Manager, said:

“Trump drove up gas prices by launching a devastating war with Iran. Now he is using the energy crisis he created as cover for a resource grab of Venezuela’s oil. The announcement confirms his aggression against Venezuela was about securing power, profits, and fossil fuels. 

“Oil reserves in Venezuela will do nothing to lower families’ bills today. Increasing production of this extremely heavy and dirty crude would take years and billions of dollars. A bet on new Venezuelan oil production that may take a decade or more to materialize is a bet against solving the climate crisis already destroying lives and livelihoods every day. The immediate winners are the oil companies and private investors given access to Venezuela’s resources, while Venezuelans lose sovereignty, and communities in Venezuela and along the U.S. Gulf Coast face more pollution and harm.

“Trump’s attacks on Iran and Venezuela expose the vicious cycle of fossil fuel dependence: wars secure access to oil, oil fuels violence and militarization, prices become more volatile, and fossil fuel companies profit while ordinary people pay. Real energy security comes from phasing out fossil fuels and investing in affordable, renewable energy.”