Posted on 02/10/26
| News Source: JPost
Venezuela sent its first shipment of crude oil to Israel in several years, according to a Tuesday report by Bloomberg.
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.
"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," said Sa'ar.
"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 added.
"Dear Minister Sa’ar, I am truly grateful for the opportunity to engage in an extensive conversation about the challenges and opportunities we face in a process that is already moving Venezuela toward democracy," said Machado.
"Our country will be a reliable and stable partner for the world’s democracies and will offer major opportunities for investment and exchange. Venezuela’s reintegration into the democratic world will also allow us to build global alliances in the face of those who threaten our security," she added.