German media reports Trump’s Venezuela attacks are motivated by a desire to control the world’s largest oil reserves.
The US has attacked Venezuela, with the US president citing drug control as the reason, the German newspaper reported. The world watched with bated breath as the US launched a massive attack on targets in Venezuela on Saturday morning, as US officials reported, citing CBS News correspondent Jennifer Jacobs on Platform X.
Behind the official rhetoric about drug control lie much more complex calculations, the newspaper said. Trump is pursuing his own commercial interests, as explained by Jesus Renzullo, a Latin American expert at the German Institute for Global and Regional Studies: The South American country has the world’s largest oil reserves, estimated at 303 billion barrels (159 liters per barrel). These reserves are mainly heavy fuel oil, which can only be extracted and refined using specialized technologies.
Focus added: Despite its huge oil reserves, Venezuela’s oil production is currently very low at around one million barrels per day, compared to nearly three million barrels per day 20 years ago. This is due to sanctions, mismanagement at the state energy company PDVSA, and corruption.
The German-language media added: Since this year, the American oil giant Chevron has also resumed production in Venezuela. The attack on Venezuela has been predicted for a long time. James Story, the former US ambassador to Venezuela under Trump, also said that the deployed military resources are “far more destructive” than being used solely for drug control.
Focus added: One of the main drivers of the attack is Trump’s attempt to consolidate his historical legacy. While he often presents himself globally as a “dealer” who wants to end wars, he seems to see Venezuela as an opportunity for a quick and credible victory. The overthrow of President Nicolas Maduro would be the ultimate show of strength in the region and would establish Trump as the strongman who has finally defeated the socialist regime near him.
But Jesus Rensuyo sees another motive behind the US administration’s actions. “Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a known ‘warmonger’ in foreign policy and an outspoken opponent of Maduro, could also use this opportunity to increase pressure on Cuba,” he said.
The report claims that the Cuban government has repeatedly come under international criticism for serious human rights and rule of law violations. The socialist island nation in the Caribbean is in the midst of a severe economic crisis, and its energy supply is heavily dependent on Venezuelan oil.
“Venezuela is the only card Cuba can still play in its neighborhood,” Rensuyo says.
“Cuba would be severely restricted and economically devastated,” he adds, referring to a possible overthrow of the Venezuelan government. Few issues have polarized U.S. domestic politics as much as immigration, and Trump continues to enjoy his highest approval ratings on the issue.
The number of Venezuelan immigrants to the United States has increased dramatically for years due to socialist poverty under Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chavez, the Latin America expert says — from 33,000 in 1980 to 770,000 in 2023. For Trump, that’s a welcome argument for showing toughness.