The US is planning to revive Venezuela's oil trade, but it's a complex and controversial process. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlines the interim plan, which involves trading houses Trafigura and Vitol to sell sanctioned oil, and the status of shadow fleet tanker operations around Venezuela. The US has licensed 12 crude liftings from Venezuela to the US aboard 10 tankers, and nine licensed tankers are currently ballasting toward Venezuela. The short-term plan is to use Trafigura and Vitol to move 50 million barrels of stuck oil, which will provide funds for the Venezuelan government and people. However, the long-term plan is more ambitious, aiming to create a normal energy program that sells directly into the market, with the US 'out of the game'. Rubio acknowledges the challenges, stating that Venezuela's oil industry needs to become more attractive to investors, and the US won't financially support energy companies' investments in Venezuela. The ultimate goal is to make Venezuela a normal, prosperous country, not a playground for Iran, Russia, and China in the hemisphere.
