Anatoly Kurmanaev

Venezuela is sitting on top of the world's largest oil reserves and Chevron would be in a position to benefit from that.

Well, it goes to be hard to be in consistency of American policy towards Minnesota right now.

There's a clear intention to starve Maduro of funds, to force him to negotiate at best and leave power at worst.

On the other hand, U.S.

is very preoccupied with Venezuela's energy asset fall into Chinese hands in case of chaos in the country.

So it has chosen to keep Chevron working there, continue earning revenues, continue propping up Venezuelan governments, because it is concerned that if Chevron were to leave, those oil fields would fall into Chinese hands.

And the clear contradictions of this policy makes it very difficult for anyone to understand what will happen in Venezuela next.

Since the start of seizures of tankers, Venezuelan oil exports have plummeted.

This is by far the biggest source of revenue for the country.

And we don't know what political effect this is going to have.

But we know that this is going to have a very negative effect on the Venezuelan economy and by extension on Venezuelan people.

Most people in Venezuela, Natalie,

dislike Maduro.

They want him gone.

More than 70% of them voted against him in last year's election.

And they would love to see political change in the country.

And this current shock and awe strategy employed by Trump, many support it.

They are prepared to prop up some economic pain if it means Maduro will leave in office in any meaningful amount of time.

The worry, the anxiety in Venezuela right now is that if Maduro withstands this current blow, if he manages to adapt, then the fear is that Venezuelans will be stuck living in an impoverished, poor, isolated economy.

It could leave them worse off.