Oil companies seeking to export Venezuelan crude to the U.S. following Nicolas Maduro's ouster held hasty discussions over the past hour to secure tankers and organize safe transfers from dilapidated Venezuelan ports, four sources familiar with the operations told Reuters. The companies aim to participate in new exports amid the political changes after U.S. military operations captured Maduro on January 3, as referenced in prior reports. Reuters reported the developments based on sources directly involved in the planning during the reporting window from 12:45 a.m. to 1:45 a.m. UTC on January 11, 2026. This follows U.S. State Department alerts on January 10 urging Americans to leave Venezuela due to security concerns including roadblocks, as stated in advisories from @TravelGov. President Donald Trump reportedly encouraged U.S. firms to invest in Venezuela, according to an X post by @Fritz_A_Sanchez noted earlier. The activity occurs against a backdrop of stalled political prisoner releases and vans departing El Helicoide prison in Caracas on January 10, as reported by @DIFUNDELOYA, linking to ongoing instability post-Maduro.
