Trump: Venezuela will give the United States $2 billion worth of oil

On January 3rd the United States launched a series of airstrikes on Venezuela resulting in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. Codenamed Absolute Resolve, the operation targeted areas in the north of the country and around the capital Caracas.

The United States has announced that it has seized an oil tanker linked to Venezuela that was sailing under a Russian flag. Washington claims the tanker was breaking US sanctions by shipping Iranian oil. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump announced on social media today that Venezuela would hand over to the United States two billion dollars’ worth of crude oil: "I am pleased to announce that the Interim Authorities in Venezuela will be turning over between 30 and 50 MILLION Barrels of High Quality, Sanctioned Oil, to the United States of America. This Oil will be sold at its Market Price, and that money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States!"

Venezuela has millions of barrels of oil on tankers and in storage that it has been unable to export due to the US blockade imposed in mid-December. All large portion of the oil was destined for China, which is the largest buyer of Venezuelan oil.

Meanwhile, the White House says President Trump is considering a range of options, including military force, for bringing Greenland under US control. On the other hand, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told members of Congress that the administration is planning on buying the island from Denmark. The comments from both Trump and Rubio elicited a quick response from Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederikson: "We are doing everything we can to influence the Americans, but we also have to stand behind the Danish and European positions. It is not just Denmark, Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark in this conflict. We have enormous support from all the major European countries and Canada. We are not sure that we will change the American position, and then we will have to stand up for ours."

European leaders however, have reiterated that only Greenland and Denmark can decide on the future of the world's largest island. For his part French President Emmanuel Macron said he did not believe that Washington would occupy Greenland: "For me, there is no scenario in which the United States of America would be placed in a position to violate Danish sovereignty; it simply doesn't exist. Therefore, I cannot believe that he would betray his commitments on Greenland. Greenland is a territory under Danish sovereignty. It will remain so, and I know that the Americans will continue to work with us for peace and security in Europe."

Source: HRT