Two sources familiar with the operations of Venezuela’s state-run oil company, PDVSA (Petróleos de Venezuela), told Reuters on Saturday that oil production and refining operations are proceeding normally.
According to an initial assessment, the country’s most critical facilities were not damaged by the U.S. attacks that targeted the nation early Saturday morning.
One of the sources clarified that the Port of La Guaira, located near the capital Caracas, one of the country's largest ports but not used for oil operations, sustained severe damage.
Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, estimated at approximately 300 billion barrels according to OPEC data, surpassing Saudi Arabia and Canada.
Currently, the country produces about one million barrels per day due to the U.S. blockade in place since 2017, with China emerging as the largest importer of Venezuelan crude.
Earlier today, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that "the United States has successfully launched extensive strikes on Venezuela." Trump stated that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife had been "captured and airlifted out of Venezuela," emphasizing that the arrest was carried out in coordination with U.S. law enforcement agencies.
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