*Venezuela makes first crude oil shipment to Israel since 2009, says
report *
The start of previously blocked trade marks a major shift following
Maduro's capture after sales to Israel and diplomatic ties were cut by
Hugo Chavez in 2009
By Peter McNamara <https://www.middleeasteye.net/users/peter-mcnamara>11
February 2026
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/venezuela-makes-first-crude-oil-shipment-israel-2009
Venezuela plans to send its first shipment of crude oil
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/india-seizes-three-oil-tankers-linked-irans-shadow-fleet>to
Israel in 17 years as part of opening up the country’s exports following
the US abduction of President Nicolas Maduro, according to a Bloomberg
<https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-10/venezuela-sending-first-crude-oil-cargo-to-israel-in-years?embedded-checkout=true>report.
The two countries had severed ties since 2009 when they were cut by then
President Hugo Chavez, with the last shipment consisting of around
470,000 barrels.
Venezuelan Information Minister Miguel Perez Pirela called the report
“FAKE!” in a post on X.
The shipment, transported by Israel’s
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-approves-deportation-palestinians-after-revoking-residency-first-time>Bazan
Group, was revealed to Bloomberg by those with knowledge of the deal and
was not intended to be made public as part of a policy that Israel does
not declare who supplies its crude oil.
The shipment and restart of trade coincides with a meeting between
Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar and Venezuelan opposition figure
María Corina Machado
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/trending/venezuela-machado-mocked-for-giving-trump-nobel-peace-prize>in
Washington DC last week.
Venezuela is said to have around 303 billion barrels in reserves of
which the US has taken direct control since the abduction of Maduro last
month.
Funds from Venezuela's oil sales are deposited into a restricted account
in Qatar, subject to US approval, to pay public sector salaries and
essential services. Last month Caracas received $500m from its first oil
sale under the US-brokered agreement.
On Tuesday, the US Department of the Treasury issued a general licence
for oil production in the South American country which prohibited China
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/will-china-come-iran-aid-if-war-breaks-out>and
Russia
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/epstein-files-ex-israeli-pm-urged-putin-send-one-more-million-russians-israel>from
dealing in Venezuelan oil.
Production is expected to increase by up to 20 percent in the coming
months, with shipments already being made to India, Spain and the US.
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