⛏️ First the oil, then the minerals

Having secured control of Venezuela’s oil industry, US President Donald Trump has been boasting about increased sales, which doubled in the first full month since Nicolás Maduro’s ousting. According to Trump, both countries will benefit from the new state of affairs through a revenue-sharing agreement, and US investment will expand in the near future.

With oil under his sway, Trump is now showing increased interest in Venezuela’s mineral wealth. Deposits in the country include gold, coltan, diamonds and other strategic metals, but could entail more difficult logistics, as investors would need to navigate the complex realities of the country’s Amazonian jungles in the south.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum visited Caracas earlier this month to…

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