Venezuelan VP warns US hostility could disrupt global energy market
3 Min Read
Delcy Rodriguez cautions that US military threats and sanctions could destabilize oil markets, warning of global fallout from any attack on Caracas.
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Venezuelan Vice President and Oil Minister Delcy Rodriguez shows the location of the Stabroek Block offshore oil and gas block during a press conference at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, March 10, 2025. (AP)
Venezuelan Vice President and Petroleum Minister Delcy Rodriguez has warned that continued US aggression against Caracas could have serious repercussions for the global energy markets.
Speaking at the 2025 Russian Energy Week in Moscow on Wednesday, Rodriguez said the forum was being held at a time when “energy is at the center of global geopolitics” and major oil and gas producers, particularly Venezuela, are facing growing external pressure.
“For the past eight weeks, we have seen a military threat from the US government, which pursues a single fundamental goal: to seize Venezuela's oil, gas, and vast reserves,” Rodriguez told the audience.
“After all, a military attack on a country with the largest oil reserves in the world will undoubtedly affect the international energy landscape and the future development of these resources,” she stressed.
Her remarks follow a series of recent US military operations off Venezuela’s coast, in which American forces destroyed several boats allegedly involved in drug trafficking. Washington claims these actions are part of broader efforts to combat transnational crime and narcotics smuggling.
On August 19, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said that US President Donald Trump was prepared to use “every element of American power” to confront drug trafficking, a statement widely interpreted as leaving the door open to a possible military operation in Venezuela.
It is worth noting that the Russian Energy Week 2025 runs in Moscow from October 15 to 17.
Wider context
Venezuela, home to the world’s largest proven oil reserves, has long stood at the center of Washington’s Latin America policy. US sanctions imposed in 2019 on its energy sector have sharply curtailed oil exports and cut Caracas off from global financial markets.
Tensions have escalated in recent months as US naval deployments in the Caribbean coincided with renewed efforts by Trump’s administration to intensify political and economic pressure on Venezuela.
In response, President Nicolas Maduro’s government has deepened its energy and defense partnerships with Russia, China, and Iran. Moscow, in particular, has emerged as a key ally, providing technical support to sustain Venezuela’s oil production and helping the country navigate the impact of US sanctions.
Read next: Iran, Venezuela vow deeper alliance against US pressure
