The Daily Journal. – Trade between the United States and Venezuela recorded a 22.7% increase during the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period the previous year, according to a report by AFP based on data from the Venezuelan-American Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VenAmCham).
This rebound is mainly attributed to the flow of Venezuelan crude oil exports, reactivated after the normalization of commercial and diplomatic relations between the two nations.
The restoration of ties was consolidated after interim president Delcy Rodríguez assumed temporary leadership and proceeded to open the oil and mining sectors to private investment.
In response to these changes, Donald Trump’s administration eased sanctions on Venezuela’s energy industry and granted licenses to foreign companies to operate in the country.
The total trade volume in both directions closed the quarter at $3.293 billion, compared to $2.682 billion reported during the first three months of 2025.
According to the VenAmCham report, this economic dynamism is the result of a controlled opening environment: “The growth in trade reflects a partial recovery of bilateral commercial flows, driven mainly by the energy sector, in a context of selective regulatory flexibility and the reactivation of formal trade channels,” the binational chamber stated.
Statistics from the United States International Trade Commission confirm this trend, indicating that Venezuelan exports to the U.S. market totaled $1.875 billion, of which 96.53% correspond strictly to hydrocarbon sales.
The boost in the energy sector has been strengthened by the signing of new strategic agreements. Although oil dominates the trade balance, the report highlights that coffee has become the second-largest non-oil export to the United States, while Venezuela mainly imports cereals, electrical equipment, and prepared animal feed from the U.S.
With information from AFP.
