Trump Eyes Venezuela's Vast Oil: Sanctions, Production Woes & Future Doubts

• Venezuela holds the world's largest proven oil reserves (303.221 billion barrels) but production is low (1 mb/d) due to neglect, underinvestment, corruption, and US sanctions.
• The country circumvents sanctions by selling 80% of its oil to China via Malaysia, 5% to Cuba, and using "ghost tankers" and cryptocurrency (USDT) for payments.
• Only US company Chevron remains in Venezuela under a special license, paying taxes in crude; ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips left in 2007.
• Trump's interest stems from energy security, seeking repayment for US investments, and countering Chinese influence in the American continent.
• Experts doubt Trump's plan is realistic due to crumbling infrastructure, low oil prices, and US oil majors' focus on shareholder returns; instability's impact on global oil prices is limited.

Why It Matters: Trump eyes Venezuela's oil, but sanctions, low production, and investment hurdles make his plan challenging.