Venezuela to Deploy Ships to Oil Exporting Hub After US Move
A Venezuelan-flagged oil tanker docked in front of the Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA) Bajo Grande Refinery at the Paraguana Refinery Complex on Lake Maracaibo in Maracaibo, Zulia state, Venezuela, in 2023.
Photographer: Gaby Oraa/BloombergVenezuela will deploy vessels to a key oil-exporting hub near Colombia in response to the US’s decision to send warships to the southern Caribbean.
Venezuela’s ships, which will be larger than “patrolling” vessels, are headed north of Lake Maracaibo and the Gulf of Venezuela, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said on social media. The vessels will be positioned in Venezuela’s oil cradle in a port key to both Chevron Corp.’s shipments to the US and PDVSA’s exports to China.