Former President Donald Ramotar believes the US strikes in the Caribbean on suspected drug vessels, and the removal of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife all form part of a smoke screen, that he believes may be linked to Venezuela’s oil wealth.

In an interview with News Source, former President Ramotar said it is now clear that the US intention was take control of Venezuela’s Oil.

“It is clear that their intention was to take the natural resources of Venezuela. It seems to me that the more natural resource you have is the less independence you will have; the more danger your country is in, instead of it helping you to build your country, it is being taken away for the richness of a few,” the former President said.

Venezuela is home to the largest known reserves of oil in the world with an estimated 300 billion barrels as of 2023.

On Tuesday, three days after the US captured Maduro and his wife, US President Donald Trump announced that Venezuela will turn over between 30 and 50 million barrels of sanctioned oil to the US.

The US President has since announced that the oil, held in storage due to Washington’s embargo on Venezuela exports, would be sold at market prices, and the revenues would be controlled by him. According to him, the money would be used to the benefit of the people of Venezuela and the US.

But while the US has offered its assurance that it would help to turn things around in Venezuela and bring needed development after years of social and economic turmoil, Mr. Ramotar has accused the US of undermining Venezuela’s development with the imposition of list of sanctions.

He said those sanctions have crippled the country’s economy, and strangled its oil industry.

Ahead of Venezuela’s election in 2024, the US reimposed oil sanctions against on the grounds that the then President had not made good on a promise to facilitate electoral reforms. Following the elections, the US along with a number of other countries did not recognize Maduro as the legitimately elected President, with the elections being called a “sham”.

But Mr Ramotar said the US has also been accused of political interference in the elections of sovereign nations. He said the US President has also labeled Maduro a drug trafficker, but just months ago, President Trump pardoned former President of Honduras, Juan Orlando Herandez, who was convicted in the US on drug trafficking charges.

“President Trump has just released a man who was convicted. He had been convicted of drug trafficking, so how strong is his opinion? How strong is he on fighting drugs? And if he and the US Administration is strong on fighting drugs, and fighting crime, well, the biggest market for the drugs is in the United States and they have an enormous amount of resources that they could use to deal with the demand side of the question. And also, where is the drug money being laundered?” the former President said.

With Maduro now deposed, President Trump said the US will run Venezuela until there is a judicious transition. In the interim, Venezuela’s Vice President, Delcy Rodriguez has been sworn in as the interim president.

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