U.S. oil rush into Venezuela tests Trump’s democracy promises

May 12, 2026

When the White House’s top energy adviser landed in Venezuela late last month, he was ushered into a terminal and asked to sign a guest book. On the wall hung a portrait of the nation’s former dictator, Nicolás Maduro, who drove most U.S. oil companies out of the country until he was deposed by President Donald Trump in a military operation in January.

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