According to Bloomberg, Venezuela has sent its first shipment of crude oil to Israel in years following the U.S. capture of Nicolas Maduro last month. Exports from Venezuela have reopened following Maduro’s capture. “Recent sales have gone to India, Spain, the US and now Israel,” the outlet noted. Venezuela is shipping its first crude cargo to Israel since 2020, marking a sharp shift in oil flows after Nicolas Maduro’s capture. Recent sales have gone to India, Spain, the US and now Israel https://t.co/Y06nDZrO3F — Bloomberg (@business) February 10, 2026 More from The Jerusalem Post: The shipment represents a renewal of contacts between the Venezuelan government and Israel, ever since former Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez cut relations in 2009. According to people familiar with the deal, Israel’s Bazan Group will be responsible for transporting the cargo. The report also notes that the deal was not made public, which aligns with Israel’s policy of not revealing the sources of its crude oil imports. The last shipment of oil from Venezuela to Israel consisted of 470,000 barrels, according to Kpler data shared by Bloomberg. The news comes after Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar met with Nobel Prize laureate and Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado on February 4. “Venezuela has the world’s largest proven oil reserves, estimated at 303 billion barrels as of 2023,” Al Jazeera stated last month. Venezuela has the world’s largest proven oil reserves, estimated at 303 billion barrels as of 2023, more than five times the amount the United States has, which is 55.25 billion barrels https://t.co/jIj142yugD pic.twitter.com/uTaQRqROYm — Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) January 8, 2026 “María Corina Machado is a courageous woman, and her struggle is a source of inspiration to many in Venezuela and beyond. We discussed developments in Venezuela since the historic US Operation ‘Absolute Resolve,’ led by President Trump,” Sa’ar said, according to The Jerusalem Post. “I wish the people of Venezuela that they may soon be able to choose their leadership in free elections, after the long years of repression under Maduro and Chávez,” he continued. The report follows news of U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright planning on traveling to Venezuela in the coming weeks. “Through energy and commerce, President Trump has created the unique opportunity to transform Venezuela, the United States, and the Western Hemisphere as a whole,” Wright said. Through energy and commerce, President Trump has created the unique opportunity to transform Venezuela, the United States, and the Western Hemisphere as a whole. This is what true American leadership looks like. pic.twitter.com/aBuvS9RNL6 — Secretary Chris Wright (@SecretaryWright) February 9, 2026 Washington Examiner shared further: His visit underscores the Trump administration’s direct involvement in rebuilding the Venezuelan oil industry, as Wright plans to meet with government officials and leadership at the state-owned oil and gas company PDVSA on professionalizing and enhancing operations. Wright first confirmed that he would be traveling to the South American country last Friday, telling reporters during a press conference at the Department of Energy’s headquarters he would be going “before too long.” “I will meet with all the leadership in the country there, and get a better understanding of on-the-ground oil and gas production operations,” Wright said. He further detailed his priorities for the visit during an interview on the Politico Energy podcast, saying he hopes to travel to some oil fields and see on-site operations.