Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to appear in the Senate this week to discuss the administration’s actions in Venezuela, in his first public briefing for lawmakers since the United States invaded the country and removed its president earlier this month.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will host Rubio on Wednesday in a session that could bring some clarity about the Trump administration’s plans for Venezuela — including for its vast oil reserves.
Uncertainty has abounded in the past few weeks as the United States has continued to seize Venezuelan oil tankers and President Donald Trump and Energy Secretary Chris Wright have announced plans to sell the country’s oil “indefinitely.”
Senate Democrats have been quick to demand answers. Foreign Relations Committee members Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) are among the most outspoken lawmakers interested in the oil dynamics in Venezuela.
