US: "What Will North Korea Think... Seizure of Venezuelan Oil Tanker Will Serve as a Warning"

Secretary of Energy Chris Wright
"A Warning to Anti-American Countries Such as North Korea and Russia"
On China: "Could Become a U.S. Partner or a Hindrance"

Chris Wright, U.S. Secretary of Energy. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

Chris Wright, U.S. Secretary of Energy, stated on the 8th (local time) that the U.S. military’s seizure of a Russian-flagged oil tanker for violating sanctions against Venezuela would serve as a warning to anti-American countries such as North Korea. However, he used terms like "economic powerhouse" and "U.S. partner" when referring to China, suggesting a policy to partially allow Venezuela’s commercial activities.

In an interview with Fox News that day, Secretary Wright directly mentioned North Korea, saying, "Think about what Iran, Russia, and North Korea are thinking right now." He added, "We have a president who actually enforces sanctions and U.S. policy."

Previously, on the 7th, the U.S. government officially announced that the Coast Guard had seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker suspected of being linked to Venezuela in the North Atlantic. On the same day, the U.S. also reported seizing another oil tanker in waters near the Caribbean Sea. This came just two days after the U.S. government captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and ousted the Maduro regime on the 5th.

However, Secretary Wright said, "China is different from Iran and Russia, which are close to being 'criminal organizations.'" He continued, "China is an economic powerhouse and a major oil consumer. China could become a constructive partner for the U.S., or it could be a force that hinders the U.S."

This particularly implies that the U.S. and China could share certain roles regarding Venezuela’s commercial activities. Over the past decade, China has made Venezuela its most important partner for energy and infrastructure projects, providing tens of billions of dollars in policy loans.

Secretary Wright noted that China is likely to remain involved in Venezuela for a long time, but added, "As long as the U.S. remains the dominant power, upholds the rule of law, and controls oil distribution, it is acceptable."

He also stipulated, "Venezuela and China can trade, but we will not allow Venezuela to become a client state of China." This means that some level of bilateral economic cooperation will be permitted, provided that the U.S. retains leadership over Venezuela.

The main concern of the Donald Trump administration is the development and sale of Venezuelan oil. Secretary Wright also said that U.S. and global oil companies are showing "tremendous interest" in investing in Venezuela. He added that companies such as Chevron, ConocoPhillips, and ExxonMobil are demonstrating their commitment in this process.

President Donald Trump, in a post on the social media platform Truth Social the previous day, said, "I just heard that Venezuela will purchase only American-made products with the funds from our new oil deal," emphasizing that "Venezuela has pledged to make the U.S. its main partner in trade."

However, according to the Financial Times (FT) on the 7th, U.S. energy companies insist that they need clear guarantees from the U.S. government before investing in Venezuela’s oil industry. This cautious stance is attributed to the precedent set by former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who expelled foreign companies during the nationalization of the oil industry.

Meanwhile, President Trump is reportedly scheduled to convene the chief executives of major U.S. energy groups at the White House on the 9th. Secretary Wright also held an emergency meeting with energy company officials in Miami, Florida, on the 7th.