“I have just been informed that Venezuela is going to be purchasing ONLY American Made Products, with the money they receive from our new Oil Deal. These purchases will include, among other things, American Agricultural Products, and American Made Medicines, Medical Devices, and Equipment to improve Venezuela’s Electric Grid and Energy Facilities,” Trump said.

“In other words, Venezuela is committing to doing business with the United States of America as their principal partner – A wise choice, and a very good thing for the people of Venezuela, and the United States,” he added.

If confirmed, the deal would mark a significant diplomatic triumph for the president and show some payoffs from his gamble last week, when U.S. special forces captured former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from the heart of Caracas.

The oil deal Trump referred to entails Venezuela giving the U.S. its oil to sell on the market, then sending back the revenue gained from the deal. While the original deal wouldn’t entail the U.S. gaining direct revenue from the oil, it would allow Washington to decide the price of oil and who to sell it to, stripping China, Cuba, Iran, and Russia of their lucrative oil deals with the country.

The new stipulation would be a major economic gain for the U.S. and serve as another example of Trump’s realist foreign policy, mixing economic and geopolitical interests.

RUBIO OUTLINES THREE-STEP PLAN ABOUT WHAT COMES NEXT FOR VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT

After initial resistance, the new government of acting President Delcy Rodriguez has reversed course and expressed its readiness to work with Trump and the U.S. This move risks dangerous results from the military and security establishment in the country, as well as the substantial Cuban contingent working in the security sphere.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined the three-step plan for what comes next for Venezuela on Wednesday. The first two steps are “stabilization” and “recovery,” followed by a transition of power.