Bei ya mafuta duniani ilishuka baada ya taarifa kwamba Marekani imefikia makubaliano na Venezuela ili kupokea hadi dola bilioni 2 za mafuta yaliyokuwa yakipelekwa China, hatua iliyosababisha mkanganyiko wa kisiasa na uchumi kwenye soko la nishati.
Rais Donald Trump alitangaza kwamba Marekani itaichukua mafuta hayo ya Venezuela iliyokuwa imezuiliwa chini ya vikwazo vya Marekani na kuyachakata, na kusambaza mafuta hayo kwa bei ya soko kuu na kudai kwamba mapato yote yatadhibitiwa na serikali ya Marekani kwa lengo la kuwanufaisha wananchi wa Marekani na Venezuela.
Soma pia Trump: Serikali ya Venezuela itatupatia mapipa Milioni 30-50 ya mafuta, tutayauza na fedha nitasimamia zinufaishe pande zote
Mkataba huo ulipendekeza kwamba baadhi ya mizigo ya mafuta iliyokuwa nayo Venezuela kwa ajili ya China, mteja wake mkubwa wa mafuta, itabadilishwa safari na kusafirishwa kwenda Marekani badala yake. Hii imeibua hasira kutoka Beijing, ikisema hatua hiyo ni mfano wa matumizi ya nguvu na “utishaji” unaokiuka sheria za kimataifa na kuhujumu uhuru wa nchi huru.
China imekosoa vikali uamuzi huo, ikisema matendo ya Marekani yanakiuka kanuni za kimataifa na haki za watu wa Venezuela, na yaeleza msimamo wake kwamba hatua kama hizi ni aina ya ulimwengu wenye utendaji wa kigoli. Ujumbe huo ulitolewa na msemaji wa Wizara ya Mambo ya Nje ya China na umejenga mvutano wa kidiplomasia kati ya mataifa hayo.
Katika muktadha huo wa kisiasa, Umoja wa Mataifa na washirika wa kimataifa wameripoti kuwa msimamo wa Venezuela na Marekani unaendelea kusababisha wasiwasi juu ya uendeshaji wa masuala ya mafuta, hali ya kisiasa na uhusiano wa kibiashara duniani kote. Mashirika ya nishati na wasambazaji wakubwa wanachunguza athari za mabadiliko haya kwa bei za mafuta na usambazaji wa nishati.
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Global oil prices fell on Wednesday and China denounced the U.S. as a bully after President Donald Trump's administration said it had persuaded Venezuela to divert supplies from Beijing and import up to $2 billion worth of sanctioned crude.
The deal was in line with Trump's stated aim of controlling the South American OPEC member's vast oil reserves after deposing its leader Nicolas Maduro whom it had long cast as a drug-trafficking dictator in league with Washington's foes. Maduro's Socialist Party allies remain in power in Venezuela, where interim President Delcy Rodriguez is treading a fine line between denouncing his "kidnapping" and kick-starting cooperation with the U.S. under explicit threats from Trump.
TRUMP: OIL MONEY 'WILL BE CONTROLLED BY ME'
He said the U.S. would refine and sell up to 50 million barrels of crude stuck in Venezuela under a U.S. blockade as a first step in his plan to revive a sector long in decline despite sitting on the largest reserves in the world.
"This Oil will be sold at its Market Price, and that money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States!" Trump posted on Tuesday.
Sources at state oil company PDVSA told Reuters negotiations for an export deal had progressed, though Venezuela's government made no official announcement. Crude prices fell around 1.0% on world markets due to anticipated increased supplies.
The deal could initially require cargoes bound for Venezuela's top buyer China to be rerouted as Caracas seeks to unload millions of barrels stranded in tankers and storage.
"The United States' brazen use of force against Venezuela and its demand for 'America First' when Venezuela disposes of its own oil resources are typical acts of bullying," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a press conference.
"These actions seriously violate international law, gravely infringe upon Venezuela's sovereignty, and severely damage the rights of the Venezuelan people."
Beijing, which imported 389,000 barrels per day of Venezuelan oil in 2025, representing about 4% of its seaborne crude imports, may now turn more to Iran and Russia, traders said.
China, Russia and leftist allies of Venezuela have all denounced the U.S. raid to capture Maduro, which was Washington's biggest such intervention in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama to topple Manuel Noriega.
Washington's allies are also deeply uneasy at the extraordinary precedent of seizing a foreign head of state, with Trump making a slew of threats of more action - from Mexico to Greenland - to further U.S. interests.
Rais Donald Trump alitangaza kwamba Marekani itaichukua mafuta hayo ya Venezuela iliyokuwa imezuiliwa chini ya vikwazo vya Marekani na kuyachakata, na kusambaza mafuta hayo kwa bei ya soko kuu na kudai kwamba mapato yote yatadhibitiwa na serikali ya Marekani kwa lengo la kuwanufaisha wananchi wa Marekani na Venezuela.
Soma pia Trump: Serikali ya Venezuela itatupatia mapipa Milioni 30-50 ya mafuta, tutayauza na fedha nitasimamia zinufaishe pande zote
Mkataba huo ulipendekeza kwamba baadhi ya mizigo ya mafuta iliyokuwa nayo Venezuela kwa ajili ya China, mteja wake mkubwa wa mafuta, itabadilishwa safari na kusafirishwa kwenda Marekani badala yake. Hii imeibua hasira kutoka Beijing, ikisema hatua hiyo ni mfano wa matumizi ya nguvu na “utishaji” unaokiuka sheria za kimataifa na kuhujumu uhuru wa nchi huru.
China imekosoa vikali uamuzi huo, ikisema matendo ya Marekani yanakiuka kanuni za kimataifa na haki za watu wa Venezuela, na yaeleza msimamo wake kwamba hatua kama hizi ni aina ya ulimwengu wenye utendaji wa kigoli. Ujumbe huo ulitolewa na msemaji wa Wizara ya Mambo ya Nje ya China na umejenga mvutano wa kidiplomasia kati ya mataifa hayo.
Katika muktadha huo wa kisiasa, Umoja wa Mataifa na washirika wa kimataifa wameripoti kuwa msimamo wa Venezuela na Marekani unaendelea kusababisha wasiwasi juu ya uendeshaji wa masuala ya mafuta, hali ya kisiasa na uhusiano wa kibiashara duniani kote. Mashirika ya nishati na wasambazaji wakubwa wanachunguza athari za mabadiliko haya kwa bei za mafuta na usambazaji wa nishati.
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Global oil prices fell on Wednesday and China denounced the U.S. as a bully after President Donald Trump's administration said it had persuaded Venezuela to divert supplies from Beijing and import up to $2 billion worth of sanctioned crude.
The deal was in line with Trump's stated aim of controlling the South American OPEC member's vast oil reserves after deposing its leader Nicolas Maduro whom it had long cast as a drug-trafficking dictator in league with Washington's foes. Maduro's Socialist Party allies remain in power in Venezuela, where interim President Delcy Rodriguez is treading a fine line between denouncing his "kidnapping" and kick-starting cooperation with the U.S. under explicit threats from Trump.
TRUMP: OIL MONEY 'WILL BE CONTROLLED BY ME'
He said the U.S. would refine and sell up to 50 million barrels of crude stuck in Venezuela under a U.S. blockade as a first step in his plan to revive a sector long in decline despite sitting on the largest reserves in the world.
"This Oil will be sold at its Market Price, and that money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States!" Trump posted on Tuesday.
Sources at state oil company PDVSA told Reuters negotiations for an export deal had progressed, though Venezuela's government made no official announcement. Crude prices fell around 1.0% on world markets due to anticipated increased supplies.
The deal could initially require cargoes bound for Venezuela's top buyer China to be rerouted as Caracas seeks to unload millions of barrels stranded in tankers and storage.
"The United States' brazen use of force against Venezuela and its demand for 'America First' when Venezuela disposes of its own oil resources are typical acts of bullying," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a press conference.
"These actions seriously violate international law, gravely infringe upon Venezuela's sovereignty, and severely damage the rights of the Venezuelan people."
Beijing, which imported 389,000 barrels per day of Venezuelan oil in 2025, representing about 4% of its seaborne crude imports, may now turn more to Iran and Russia, traders said.
China, Russia and leftist allies of Venezuela have all denounced the U.S. raid to capture Maduro, which was Washington's biggest such intervention in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama to topple Manuel Noriega.
Washington's allies are also deeply uneasy at the extraordinary precedent of seizing a foreign head of state, with Trump making a slew of threats of more action - from Mexico to Greenland - to further U.S. interests.
