Oil Deals Ahead of Elections: U.S. Engages Venezuela’s Interim Regime

U.S. energy officials have stepped up engagement with Venezuela’s interim government to push oil and mining deals, signaling a shift from regime change to economic stabilization as a prerequisite for any democratic transition. Three independent U.S. producers ink non-binding agreements and sanctions-relief moves have opened space for investment, but investors remain cautious about political risk and unclear timelines for elections, as PDVSA negotiations and governance under interim leader Delcy Rodríguez continue.