Find out what fate Trump has in store for Venezuela in OPEC

The President of the United States, Donald Trumpstated on Wednesday (14) that he considers it positive for Venezuela to continue as a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec), although it has demonstrated uncertainty regarding the benefits of this stay for North American interests. The statements were made in an interview with Reuters.

“Well, I think it’s better for them if they do that,” Trump said when asked whether his administration supports Venezuela remaining in the oil cartel. Then he pondered: “I don’t know if it’s better for us… but they are members of OPEC, and we don’t discuss this with them in any way.”

A Venezuela It is a founding member of OPEC and holds some of the largest proven crude oil reserves in the world. Despite this, the country’s production has suffered a sharp drop in recent years, amid a prolonged economic crisis, operational difficulties and sanctions imposed by the United States and other Western countries.

Trump’s statements come in a context of strong tension between Washington and Caracas. Since the beginning of January, the North American president has adopted a more assertive speech about the future of the Venezuelan energy sector and the role of the United States in controlling the South American country’s oil supply. Trump has associated these positions with a broader foreign and energy policy strategy, focused on national security and American economic interests.

OPEC, created in 1960, brings together some of the largest oil producers in the world and aims to coordinate production policies to influence global prices of the commodity. Venezuela has been part of the group since its foundation and has historically played a relevant role in the cartel’s decisions, especially during periods of greater production and exports.

International energy market analysts note that, despite Venezuela’s symbolic weight within OPEC, its practical influence has significantly diminished due to the productive collapse. Even so, remaining in the group guarantees the country a formal channel of dialogue with other large producers and maintains its institutional insertion in the global oil market.

By stating that there were no discussions with Venezuelan authorities about a possible exit from OPEC, Trump indicated that, at least for now, the issue is not part of direct negotiations between the two countries. The speech reinforces the ambiguity of the North American position: while recognizing the importance of the cartel for Venezuela, the president avoids making a commitment about the impacts of this relationship on the United States.