Trump says Venezuela to turn over 30-50 mln barrels of oil to U.S.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Venezuelan authorities "will be turning over" 30 million to 50 million barrels of oil to the United States, proceeds from which will be "used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States."

The oil will be sold at market price and the revenue will be controlled by Trump himself as the U.S. president, Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

The oil from Venezuela will be shipped directly to unloading docks in the United States, Trump said, noting that U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright has been assigned to execute the plan.

Trump's remarks came just days after U.S. forces launched a military strike against Venezuela on Saturday and forcibly seized its President Nicolas Maduro and his wife on Venezuelan soil.

The U.S. administration has been widely bashed and protested following the large-scale military strike, which many view as an unlawful action primarily driven by a desire to control Venezuela's vast oil reserves.

Referring to "oil" roughly 20 times during his press conference on Saturday following the military operation, Trump told NBC News on Monday that Washington may subsidize U.S. oil companies to rebuild Venezuela's energy infrastructure.