Trump announces 'high quality' oil deal with Venezuela

Donald Trump has announced Venezuela's interim authorities volition beryllium "turning over" betwixt 30 and 50 cardinal barrels of "high quality" lipid to the US.

The lipid - worthy upwards of $2bn (£1.48bn) - volition beryllium taken by retention ships and brought straight to US unloading docks, the president said connected Truth Social.

It volition beryllium sold astatine its marketplace terms and the wealth generated from the income volition beryllium controlled by Mr Trump himself, his connection added.

Energy caput Chris Wright has been asked to execute the plan.

Catch connected latest updates connected Venezuela and Greenland

Mr Trump has been unfastened astir his plans for Venezuela's lipid reserves since the capture and apprehension of president Nicolas Maduro successful an audacious American raid connected Caracas.

He has suggested US lipid companies could beryllium up and moving successful the state wrong 18 months, and threatened Venezuela's interim authorities with much miliary involution if it doesn't cooperate.

There is presently lone 1 US multinational lipid institution successful Venezuela - Chevron.

Another two, Exxon Mobil and ConocoPhillips, near aft Maduro's predecessor, Hugo Chavez, nationalised the lipid industry, rendering them superfluous.

Venezuela is sitting connected the world's biggest reserves of dense oil, up of the likes of Canada and Russia.

Last month, the US blocked lipid tankers from leaving the state and seized respective tankers successful planetary waters arsenic portion of efforts to enforce its sanctions connected Venezuela's lipid industry.

Earlier this evening, reports claimed bosses from US lipid companies were expected to sojourn the White House arsenic aboriginal arsenic Thursday to sermon investments successful Venezuela.

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Mr Trump's announcement came aft helium boasted astir the US subject cognition successful Venezuela during a code successful Washington, describing it arsenic "an astonishing subject feat".

A Pentagon authoritative said astatine slightest 7 US work members were injured during the operation, portion Venezuela's subject said astatine slightest 24 of its subject officers were killed.

Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodriguez, who was lone sworn successful connected Monday, said successful a televised code that determination was "no outer agent" governing the country.

Mr Trump's medication is not lone being unfastened astir its plans for Venezuela, but besides its ambitions for Greenland.

The White House has suggested it would beryllium open to utilizing subject unit to prehend the mineral-rich Arctic territory from NATO state Denmark.