Washington’s decision to take control of Venezuela’s oil exports is already reshaping global crude flows. PetroChina has ordered a halt to all trading of Venezuelan oil, while Indian refineries are receiving only marginal volumes, as most supplies are being diverted to the United States and offered discounts are not competitive with other heavy crudes.
In a move that signals a potential shift in bilateral relations, the United States government has appointed the seasoned diplomat Laura F. Dogu as Head of Mission for Venezuela, as part of efforts to reestablish the official presence of the U.S. Embassy in Caracas after years of tension and the absence of formal representation. Dogu, whose career includes serving as ambassador to El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Honduras, is expected to lead the reopening of diplomatic channels with the Venezuelan government and to consolidate an exploratory process that has already generated reactions on both sides.
The World Economic Forum returns to Davos from January 19 to 23, 2026, for its 56th edition, in an international context described by the organizers themselves as one of “maximum tension.” Chosen decades ago as the quietest month in the political calendar, January no longer offers respite: latent wars, open strategic rivalries, and a fragmented global economy turn Davos into a setting where dialogue is urgent, but also deeply uncomfortable.
The attraction of investment coexists with urgent needs in infrastructure, public services, and operational capacity in the country’s main energy-producing states.
Opposition leader María Corina Machado spoke out about the situation of political prisoners in Venezuela, where dozens of family members have spent nights outside detention centers waiting for news or new releases. In statements to the press, Machado stressed that advancing toward an effective political transition requires dismantling the Chavista repressive structure and closing all torture centers in the country.
Abu Dhabi’s state oil company, ADNOC, is evaluating a potential entry into Venezuela’s energy industry at a moment of profound political and economic reconfiguration in the country. The interest, revealed by Bloomberg News, coincides with an intense series of high-level diplomatic contacts between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Venezuela, as well as with the first announcements by the interim government regarding exports of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The move is unfolding under the close scrutiny of the United States, a key actor in any future architecture for energy investment in Venezuela.
The U.S. military intervention in Venezuela and the capture of Nicolás Maduro have carried enormous political and symbolic weight. However, for major Wall Street players, the episode has not, for now, altered the core dynamics of global markets. BlackRock and JPMorgan agree that the Venezuelan case fits into a more fragmented world, but without the immediate capacity to generate systemic financial contagion.
The acting president led the 2026 National Council of the Productive Economy, where she reaffirmed the economic program launched in 2018, announced the channeling of oil revenues into the foreign-exchange market through private banks, and formalized the creation of two sovereign funds aimed at social protection and infrastructure, amid sustained economic growth and an international financial realignment.
The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, highlighted this Friday the release of European citizens detained in Venezuela, describing it as a relief for their families and the result of persistent diplomacy. The release of citizens from several countries comes amid controversy over the actual number of people freed and coordinated repatriation efforts between European governments and Caracas.
The meeting between John Ratcliffe, director of the CIA, and Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez has become the clearest signal so far of the Trump administration’s strategy: cooperation on security and intelligence and support for a managed transition that prioritizes stability following the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
