The United States is putting pressure on Nicolás Maduro’s regime through decisive actions aimed at warning the dictatorship that the era of threats and inaction has ended with Joe Biden’s mandate. The explicit goal of the U.S. government is to push for political change in Venezuela.
Moreover, this serves as a precursor to the already evident takeover of the Venezuelan oil industry by China.
In this context, recent statements by U.S. Secretary of Energy Christopher Wright are notable, emphasizing the need to apply pressure on the Venezuelan regime to stimulate political change. He mentioned that Donald Trump’s administration aims to “find a way for Venezuela to become a civilized nation again, one that does not threaten its neighbors, impoverish its people, or send criminal gangs to the United States.”
“Venezuela was a prosperous and rich society, a great ally of the United States and a huge energy producer. Then they adopted, you know, Hugo Chávez and now Nicolás Maduro, two terrible tyrannical leaders.” Thus, this second Trump administration will leverage U.S. strength or energy independence to force change in Venezuela.
It is highly likely that demonstrations of strength by the United States will continue in the near future, especially as the Trump administration is well-aware that China is lurking and gradually taking control of PDVSA.
Surviving at Any Cost
The U.S. seeks to exert maximum pressure on Maduro’s regime and financially suffocate it.
Meanwhile, as the U.S. acts, Nicolás Maduro is doing the same and making deals— or attempting to deal— with his partners from the “axis of evil,” as former President George Bush termed it—China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. However, this sacrifices the republic and subjects national interest to his survival interests at all costs. In other words, as we pointed out, the United States is measuring forces against Nicolás Maduro’s regime.
Chavismo is willing to pay any price to remain in power, even at the cost of national sovereignty, or worse, the destruction of the West.
The regime faces challenges, as the circumstances surrounding its allies in the East prevent them from throwing the lifeline that Maduro so desperately seeks. It appears that only China has provided assistance and begun to take control of the Venezuelan oil industry, such as the Cardón refinery.
Maduro Surrendering Sovereignty to China
Iván Freites, Secretary of Professionals and Technicians of the United Federation of Oil Workers (FUTPV) and General Secretary of the Single Union of Oil, Petrochemical, and Gas Workers of Falcon State (SUTPGEF), reported on his X social media account (@IvanRFreites) about the handover of the Paraguaná, Amuay, and Cardón refineries to China.
Freites claims that Chinese technicians have begun repair work on some plants and units at the Cardón refinery. He explains that the China Concord company has signed a contract with PDVSA that allows for the extraction of oil from Lake Maracaibo while also taking control of all infrastructure related to the refining of that oil. That includes pipelines, storage tanks, and maritime terminals with access to the Caribbean Sea and the entire Venezuelan coast.
He warns that this is not a mixed company but a shared production contract that establishes that the Chinese company invests the capital to repair the refinery, enabling them to keep half of the oil production and also deduct capital expenses from PDVSA’s share. Already, 13 contracts of this type have been signed, with more expected.
According to Iván Freites, “Nicolás Maduro is advancing the destruction of sovereignty while self-styled influencers continue to underestimate his abuses,” emphasizing that the fields being handed over to Chinese companies are not the ones Chevron operated.
For the union leader, this is a deal that only benefits China—just as it would for Russia and Iran if similar contracts are signed with them—while representing a great loss for Venezuela.
Like our sources claim, Iván Freites asserts that the Chinese presence is a done deal in the country’s oil facilities: “at the beginning of May, there were 30, now there are 60, soon it will be 200, reaching up to 5,000 and possibly more.”
He warns that the Chinese technicians will only retain workers from whom they can learn operations, and Venezuelan contractors will be paid until they are no longer needed. In other words, Venezuelan oil workers train the Chinese, only to be replaced by them.
He recalls that in Venezuela, foreign oil camp sites were eliminated over 50 years ago, but Nicolás Maduro is reactivating them. “We have regressed to the times of ‘Dead Houses.’”
The Chinese Takeover of PDVSA
In fact, we have learned that personnel from Petróleos de Venezuela S.A.—particularly middle management—has been sent to China for several weeks. What is the objective? To be trained on the regulations for the operations of the Chinese giant in the refineries and oil and gas operational areas of the country.
We are informed that at PDVSA’s facilities in the San Tomé District, several departments have already started receiving directives from China for their respective subordinates. This situation is also unfolding in Puerto La Cruz and PDVSA Occidente.
The presence of Chinese in Venezuela is not new, but their operations, particularly in PDVSA, have not been as prominent as they are today. Direct orders are being given to certain hierarchical personnel to act as multipliers of new guidelines to their subordinates. This is, indeed, a takeover of the industry, currently happening from the outside but soon expected to be direct and onsite.
The OFAC Licenses
On May 9, 2025, General License 80 expired, which allowed certain U.S. oil companies to operate in Venezuela under specific restrictions. Consequently, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Treasury Department nullified the activities previously permitted for Halliburton, Schlumberger Limited, Baker Hughes Holdings LLC, and Weatherford International with Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) and related entities.
Specifically, License 80 provided a margin of maneuver for Nicolás Maduro’s regime in oil matters:
- Guarantee the safety of personnel and the integrity of operations and assets in Venezuela.
- Participate in shareholders’ meetings and boards of directors.
- Make payments for third-party bills.
The U.S. President, Donald Trump, informed PDVSA partners—Repsol, Eni, Reliance Industries, and Maurel & Prom—about the revocation of their permits and exemptions to trade Venezuelan crude and its derivatives. A deadline until May 27, 2025, was set for Chevron’s definitive cessation of activities in Venezuela, following exceptions granted by the outgoing Biden administration.
This is crucial, as it is important to note that these licenses were granted by the Democratic government.
However, it must also be said that many of these companies ceased imports of Venezuelan oil due to a 25% tariff imposed on those acquiring crude and gas from Venezuela, driven by Donald Trump. For instance, Repsol and Reliance, with significant presence in the United States, have requested authorization to maintain their operations in the country to avoid sanctions.
The end of General License 80 is part of the international pressure on Maduro’s regime. A policy that, according to specialists, could intensify the already growing economic crisis in Venezuela, which relies almost entirely on oil income.
Cessation of Chevron Operations
In March, President Trump announced the revocation of oil concessions that allowed Chevron Corp. to operate in Venezuela, authorized by the Biden administration. The OFAC then issued General License 41A, terminating some transactions with the joint companies of Chevron Corporation in Venezuela.
This license modifies the previous General License 41, which authorized certain operations necessary for the production, sale, export, and import to the United States of oil and derived products produced by Chevron, its subsidiaries or joint companies in Venezuela.
In short, General License 41A translates to the discontinuation of transactions previously authorized by General License 41 as of April 3, 2025.
Previously, specifically on February 26, 2025, Trump announced his decision to revoke Biden’s authorization granted to Chevron Corp. and its subsidiaries. The objective of this measure was to promote free elections and human rights reform in Venezuela. On his social media platform, Truth Social, the president accused Maduro’s regime of failing to comply with agreed electoral reforms and lacking diligence in returning migrants, which is a priority for this new U.S. administration.
Donald Trump’s policy aims to tighten sanctions against Nicolás Maduro’s regime to sever the financial flows to the dictatorship and state-owned companies, especially Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA).
The measures affect not only companies operating in the Venezuelan energy sector but also banks, financial institutions, and organizations that support them.
This government action is aimed at cutting all support, large or small, to Maduro’s regime. No backing is insignificant; every bit counts. This includes companies like Eising Energy Services Inc. and Reimpet Intrenational Corporation. The latter, for example, provides significant services to Maduro’s regime, enabling them to sustain operations in the Orinoco Oil Belt.
This new circumstance for Maduro’s dictatorship likely drives the actions that the regime is, very likely, positioning behind the scenes to prepare for operations by China, PDVSA, and pirate contractors in fields and refineries abandoned by others.
On its website, Eising Energy Services Inc. describes itself as a global provider of oilfield services, especially contract drilling, directional drilling, drilling under balanced and controlled pressure, equipment rentals, well maintenance, and production services.
Founded in 1987, it operates from Canada and the United States to Latin America, the Middle East, and Australia.
Meanwhile, in El Tigre, Anzoátegui state, operates Ensign De Venezuela C.A., located on Avenida España, Local Ensign, Sector Pueblo Nuevo, with Tax Information Registry (RIF) RIF J-08001581-9 (1).
Reimpet Intrenational Corporation
Reimpet International Corp is a Houston-based company that has been buying and selling equipment for oil fields for over a decade. They work with U.S. well service companies and drilling contractors with substantial operations, supplying American market equipment to international clients in South America, Africa, and the Middle East (2).
In Venezuela, it operates as Reimpet Holding Group C.A., located at Calle Las Industrias, Patio No. 20, San J.d.G. Industrial Zone, Guanipa Municipality, Anzoátegui State. It is represented by Víctor García Cámara, Maricel Torres, and Alejandra Pérez.
Irregularities Always Present
Now, does this mean that during the validity of the OFAC licenses, irregularities did not occur in the Venezuelan oil industry? Definitely not, since Chavista corruption has been a fundamental element of the regime’s survival since it came to power in December 1998.
In fact, sources from Venezuela Política warn that, currently, within PDVSA, dozens of shady activities take place, including fictitious operations to justify payments and gifts to those responsible for each contracting unit. In other words, contracts are signed in the Venezuelan oil sector, and billing occurs for work that never happens, resulting in money flow between corrupt officials and contracting companies.
Our informants claim that envelopes full of cash are distributed within each contracting unit, with amounts varying according to the hierarchical level, ranging from $200 to thousands, depending on the magnitude of invented projects, but billed with profit-sharing among participants.
Corruption is rampant at all levels within PDVSA, our sources report, also predicting that storage capacity for crude oil will soon be exhausted, leading to the halting of wells and a forced decline in production.
We will have to keep an eye on forthcoming actions from both sides to get a clearer picture of what the near future holds for Maduro’s regime and the Venezuelan oil industry. Meanwhile, the United States is measuring forces against Nicolás Maduro’s regime, and the expectation continues.
See in Sin Filtros “Trump Activates Sanctions: End of the Oil Game in Venezuela”:
Consulted Sources:
1) Trade Atlas. Ensign De Venezuela C.A. Available at: https://www.tradeatlas.com/es/firms/ensign-de-venezuela-c-a/780577618f0cd5d4
2) Reimpet International Corp. Available at: https://reimpetintl.com/about-us