Maduro Appeals to OPEC Amid U.S. Pressure and Venezuela’s Economic Crisis
CARACAS, Venezuela — December 3, 2025 — Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has appealed to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) for support as his country grapples with a severe economic crisis and increasing international isolation, officials said. In a letter addressed to OPEC Secretary-General Haitham Al Ghais and published by Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil, Maduro described U.S. actions as “direct aggression” undermining Venezuela’s energy sector and threatening the balance of the international oil market.
Maduro’s plea comes amid escalating tensions following President Donald Trump’s decision to close U.S. airspace over Venezuela, intensifying pressure on the Venezuelan government. The U.S. has imposed sanctions targeting Venezuelan officials, state-run industries including oil and mining, and financial transactions, citing concerns over corruption, trafficking, and human rights abuses.
The Venezuelan leader urged oil-producing nations to show solidarity, warning that the U.S. campaign was designed to destabilize Venezuela. Maduro’s letter expressed hope that OPEC would help halt what he described as growing aggression that jeopardizes both producing and consuming countries.
However, experts suggest Maduro’s appeal is largely symbolic. Francisco J. Monaldi, Latin American Energy Policy Director, told Fox News Digital that OPEC is unlikely to intervene, noting that Saudi Arabia, the group’s key player, would avoid confrontation with the Trump administration and typically does not engage in such conflicts.
Monaldi characterized Venezuela as “broke” and burdened by $150 billion in debt, emphasizing that Maduro’s framing of the situation as an oil conflict serves his narrative. Despite Venezuela’s potential to produce about 4 million barrels of oil per day, the country’s economic collapse and international isolation have severely limited its oil production capacity.
The ongoing standoff highlights the complex geopolitical and economic challenges facing Venezuela as it seeks to navigate pressures from the United States and maintain its role in the global energy market.
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