Production facility of the Italian state-owned company Eni in Indonesia. Photo: Eni.
Guacamaya, April 8, 2025. The Italian company is seeking an exemption from U.S. sanctions to continue operating in Venezuela, where it is one of the main suppliers of gas for the domestic market.
Eni’s CEO, Claudio Descalzi, confirmed on Tuesday that the Italian energy group will continue producing gas in Venezuela to prevent a social collapse, despite U.S. restrictions. The Donald Trump administration recently revoked authorizations for European and North American companies still operating in the country, including Chevron, Repsol, and Maurel et Prom.
Descalzi explained that Eni does not extract crude oil in Venezuela but rather gas exclusively for domestic consumption. “If we halt production, we would trigger a crisis, as we are the only ones supplying households,” he stated during an event in Ravenna, northern Italy. He added that, since they cannot receive payments in dollars, compensation is made in derivative products that are later exported to the U.S. However, Trump has also banned such transactions.
The company has begun talks with Washington to secure an exemption. “We are working with U.S. authorities to find a solution. I am optimistic because, in this world, you have to be,” the executive said. Eni was one of the firms notified by the U.S. about the prohibition on accepting oil as payment but insists that its contract permits it and that it complies with all sanctions.
Meanwhile, production continues, balancing geopolitical pressure with the need to avoid a humanitarian impact in Venezuela.
