OFAC extends Citgo protection from creditors through November

The Daily Journal.- The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) extended through November 5 the protection that prevents holders of Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) 2020 bonds from seizing, without specific authorization, the Citgo shares that serve as collateral for the debt. OFAC adopted the measure through General License 5Z, which it issued […]

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Continental Resources and PDVSA agree to develop Ayacucho 2 block with potential 30 billion barrels

The Daily Journal.- U.S. oil company Continental Resources signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Venezuelan state-owned oil company PDVSA to develop and operate the Ayacucho 2 block in the Orinoco Oil Belt. PDVSA Executive Vice President Jovanny Martínez and Continental Resources founder Harold Hamm signed the agreement in Houston during the G20 Energy Ministers’ […]

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What comes after the oil deal? From a secret contract to accountability

Neirlay Andrade.— The historic oil agreement signed by Acting President Delcy Rodríguez’s administration and the White House has left a trail of doubts and questions in its wake. It could hardly be otherwise: the document committing the fate of one-fifth of Venezuela’s proven crude oil reserves remains secret. This detail has cooled the optimism that […]

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Polish state-owned company lost at least US$424 million in failed Venezuelan crude deal, FT reports

The Daily Journal.- Polish state-owned oil company Orlen lost at least US$424 million in a failed deal to acquire six million barrels of Venezuelan crude, in a transaction that involved a US$230 million advance payment, cryptocurrency and a network of intermediaries in Dubai and Venezuela, according to an investigation published by the Financial Times. Orlen’s […]

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Oil under secrecy: U.S. deal raises questions about parliamentary oversight

The reform of the Organic Hydrocarbons Law reduced the National Assembly’s role in approving oil deals. At the same time, the technical terms of the agreement announced between Venezuela and the United States remain unpublished. Legal scholar Mariana Campos warns that parliamentary oversight has not disappeared; it must be exercised over implementation. Neirlay Andrade The […]

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Alex Saab to plead guilty in money laundering case, AP reports

The Daily Journal.— Former Venezuelan Industries Minister Alex Saab plans to plead guilty Tuesday before a federal court in Miami in a money laundering case involving government food-import contracts, The Associated Press (AP) reported. Saab, 54, will appear before U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams for a change-of-plea hearing, according to court records cited by AP. […]

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Venezuela to attend G20 energy summit in Houston

The Daily Journal.- A Venezuelan delegation led by Hydrocarbons Minister Paula Henao will attend the G20 energy summit in Houston, Texas, at the invitation of the Trump administration. PDVSA Executive Vice President Jovanny Martínez will also attend the meeting, which will bring together energy ministers from the world’s leading economic powers. The delegation will participate […]

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OFAC expands authorization for U.S. companies to operate with PDVSA under new conditions

The Daily Journal.— The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) expanded its authorization Monday to allow certain U.S. companies to conduct transactions with Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) and its majority-owned subsidiaries, marking another easing of the sanctions framework governing operations with Venezuela’s oil sector. General License 52C, which OFAC issued on Sept. […]

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Glencore and Mercuria compete for deal to operate Venalum

Both companies are negotiating with Venezuela to operate the plant, in a move that marks the return of major commodity traders The Daily Journal.- London-listed miner Glencore (GLEN.L) and Swiss commodity trading company Mercuria Energy are among the firms seeking a deal involving Venalum, Venezuela’s largest aluminum plant. According to Bloomberg, both companies are holding […]

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Venezuela’s oil production reached 1.201 million bpd in August

The Daily Journal. — Venezuela’s oil production reached 1.201 million barrels per day (bpd) in August 2026, according to a report released Thursday by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The figure represents a slight increase of 1,000 bpd from the 1.200 million bpd Venezuelan authorities reported in July, keeping output above the […]

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