Venezuela Ships First Oil to Israel in Years
In a stunning geopolitical flip, post-Maduro Venezuela has dispatched its first crude oil cargo to Israel’s Bazan refinery. As the fallen regime's ties to Iran evaporate, discover how "black gold" is redrawing the map of the Middle East and South America in the wake of the 2026 regime change.
In a move that would’ve been unthinkable just months ago, Venezuela has dispatched its first crude oil cargo to Israel in years, marking a seismic shift in alliances as the South American nation’s oil taps reopen after the dramatic fall of Nicolás Maduro.
According to Bloomberg, the tanker is steaming straight toward Bazan Group, Israel’s largest refinery and top crude processor. The deal, confirmed by sources familiar with the transaction, signals that post-Maduro Venezuela is wasting no time redirecting its black gold away from its old anti-Western buddies.
For over a decade under Maduro, Venezuela was one of Israel’s loudest critics. Diplomatic ties were severed in 2009. Caracas cozied up to Iran, Hezbollah, and the whole “axis of resistance” crew, turning down any chance to sell oil to the Jewish state.
Fast-forward to early 2026: Maduro is captured in a U.S. operation, an interim government takes over, and suddenly… Israeli refineries are getting Venezuelan barrels?
It’s not a massive volume yet, one cargo, but the symbolism is off the charts. This is a former Iran-backed regime now supplying energy to Israel while the U.S. keeps a close eye on the revenue flows and export revival.
The timing couldn’t be more electric. With Trump back in the White House pushing hard on energy and squeezing adversarial networks, Venezuela’s oil sector is getting a rapid reboot, new laws opening doors to foreign investment, exports flowing again, and old ideological lines getting redrawn in real time.
One insider put it bluntly: Venezuela’s oil is back in play, and the destinations are shifting fast. This isn’t just about barrels and bucks. It’s a live demonstration of how quickly geopolitics can flip when regimes change and pragmatism takes the wheel. Israel gets diversified crude supplies at a tense moment. Venezuela gets cash and a fresh start on the global stage. And the Iran-aligned bloc? They just lost another player.