By Micah Jonah
January 15, 2026 | RismadarVoice
The United States has completed the first sales of Venezuelan crude oil under a $2 billion energy agreement reached earlier this month between Washington and Caracas, a senior U.S. official told Reuters.
The initial sales, valued at approximately $500 million, mark the first commercial step in implementing the pact and signal a significant shift in U.S.–Venezuela energy relations. Revenue from these early shipments is being held in bank accounts controlled by the U.S. government, with the main account located in Qatar to ensure neutral oversight and reduce the risk of seizure, the official said.
Additional oil sales under the agreement are expected in the coming days and weeks as the United States moves forward with its strategy to reintegrate Venezuelan crude into global markets.
The broader deal was announced earlier this month after prolonged negotiations and comes amid major changes in Venezuela’s political landscape and energy policy, including efforts to redirect oil exports away from long-standing buyers and toward the United States.
This development could reshape crude supply flows, offers a window into how Venezuelan resources might be managed and marketed under the new arrangement.
