US-Venezuela Trade Surges 22.7% to $3.29 Billion as Oil Reopens
Key Facts
—The headline. Bilateral trade between the United States and Venezuela grew 22.78% year-on-year in Q1 2026, reaching $3.293 billion versus $2.682 billion in Q1 2025, an increase of $611 million driven primarily by Venezuelan crude oil exports following the reactivation of formal commercial channels after the Maduro government’s removal in January, according to the Venezuelan-American Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VenAmCham).
—The exports. Venezuelan exports to the United States totaled $1.875 billion, up 15.40% year-on-year, with crude oil representing 96.53% of the total; non-oil exports collapsed to only $65 million, an 8.42% interannual contraction with coffee remaining the leading category.
—The imports. Venezuelan imports from the United States reached $1.418 billion, up 34.14% year-on-year, with petroleum-sector inputs (diluents, fuels, operational chemicals) representing 56.68% at $804 million (up 45.24%); non-oil imports totaled $614 million (up 21.93%), dominated by food, machinery and equipment.
—The trade surplus. Venezuela ended Q1 2026 with a trade surplus of $457 million, down from $568 million in Q1 2025; the contraction reflects faster US export expansion (+34.14%) versus Venezuelan export growth (+15.40%), confirming asymmetric normalization between the two flows.
—The corporate footprint. Chevron continues operating under existing Treasury licenses, and at least nine additional US companies have signed agreements with Venezuela in recent months, bringing the active US corporate count to 10; VenAmCham also welcomed the return of American Airlines flights between the two countries after a nine-year suspension.
The first hard trade-data confirmation of the post-Maduro arrangement is now public, and the numbers tell exactly the story that critics of the Trump-Rodríguez transactional architecture predicted: oil flows resume aggressively, US corporate access expands, and Venezuelan non-oil exports continue to decline.
What did VenAmCham actually report?
The Venezuelan-American Chamber of Commerce and Industry, drawing on United States International Trade Commission data, released bilateral trade volume of $3.293 billion for January-March 2026, a 22.78% year-on-year increase from $2.682 billion in Q1 2025. The $611 million absolute increase makes Q1 2026 the strongest bilateral trade quarter since the imposition of comprehensive US oil sanctions in 2019. VenAmCham framed the growth as “a partial recovery of bilateral commercial flow, driven principally by the energy component, in a context of selective regulatory flexibility and reactivation of formal commercial channels.”
How does oil dominate the trade flow?
| Trade flow | Q1 2026 | Q1 2025 | YoY change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total bilateral trade | $3.293B | $2.682B | +22.78% (+$611M) |
| VZ exports to US | $1.875B | $1.625B | +15.40% (+$250M) |
| — Crude oil (96.53%) | $1.810B | $1.554B | +16.5% |
| — Non-oil exports | $65M | $71M | -8.42% (-$6M) |
| US exports to VZ | $1.418B | $1.057B | +34.14% (+$361M) |
| — Petroleum inputs (56.68%) | $804M | $554M | +45.24% (+$250M) |
| VZ trade surplus | $457M | $568M | -19.5% |
Source: VenAmCham Q1 2026 bilateral trade report based on USITC data.
Crude oil represented 96.53% of Venezuelan exports to the United States, confirming what VenAmCham itself flagged as “structural exposure” of Venezuelan foreign trade. Non-oil exports contracted to $65 million, an 8.42% year-on-year decline. Coffee remains the leading non-oil export. The Chamber described the decline as reflecting “competitiveness challenges, scale limitations and difficulties accessing international markets,” per VenAmCham.
Why are US exports growing faster than Venezuelan exports?
The asymmetry reflects the operational realities of restarting a long-disrupted oil sector. Venezuelan crude from the Orinoco Belt requires substantial imported diluents to be transportable. PDVSA refining capacity has been substantially degraded, creating import demand for refined gasoline and diesel for domestic consumption. Petroleum-sector imports reached $804 million in Q1 2026, up 45.24% year-on-year. Non-oil imports rose 21.93% to $614 million, dominated by food, machinery and equipment, reflecting broader Venezuelan economic recovery and rising bolívar wages chasing imported goods despite the currency’s 450% year-on-year collapse. The result is a Venezuelan trade surplus that shrunk to $457 million from $568 million.
What does this mean for the Trump-Rodríguez framework?
The Q1 2026 data represent the first quantitative confirmation that the post-Maduro economic architecture is delivering measurable trade results. Chevron continues operating under existing Treasury licenses, joined by at least nine additional US firms with new agreements. The 12 Treasury sectoral licenses issued January-March under the transactional framework with the Rodríguez government appear to be functioning as designed. Any meaningful expansion beyond Q1 2026 levels will require either additional Treasury licenses or a more general sanctions framework adjustment, both of which are policy decisions controlled by Washington rather than commercial outcomes, per La Patilla.
What should investors watch next?
- Q2 2026 trade data: If bilateral trade exceeds $3.5 billion the recovery trajectory is structural; sub-$3.3 billion would suggest Q1 was a licensing-driven one-off.
- New Treasury authorizations: The 12 sectoral licenses remain the operational ceiling. Additional categories (petrochemicals, refined products, mining beyond gold) would expand the trade channel.
- Crude price sensitivity: Q1 growth occurred at Brent above $100. A return to $70-80 would mechanically reduce export value by 20-30% without any volume change.
- Non-oil export trajectory: The 8.42% contraction is the most concerning data point. Continued decline confirms the petro-state restoration thesis.
- US corporate count expansion: Any move past 15 firms would signal genuine corporate confidence; stagnation at 10-11 suggests hedging political risk.
More: Latin America news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is VenAmCham?
The Venezuelan-American Chamber of Commerce and Industry (locally Cámara Venezolano-Americana de Comercio e Industria) is a private business association founded in 1950 that represents companies engaged in US-Venezuelan commercial activity. It publishes quarterly bilateral trade reports drawing on US International Trade Commission data and serves as the principal private-sector data source for bilateral trade analysis.
Why does Venezuela import US oil products if it exports crude?
Venezuelan crude from the Orinoco Belt is extra-heavy and requires substantial dilution with imported light condensate or naphtha. PDVSA’s domestic refining capacity has been substantially degraded over the past decade, creating import demand for refined gasoline and diesel for domestic consumption. The result is the paradoxical situation in which an oil-exporting country imports significant petroleum-sector inputs.
How does this compare to pre-sanctions trade levels?
US-Venezuela bilateral trade peaked at approximately $54 billion in 2014 before oil-price collapse and the 2019 imposition of comprehensive US sanctions. The Q1 2026 annualized run rate of approximately $13 billion remains a fraction of pre-collapse levels.
When does American Airlines resume Venezuelan flights?
American Airlines announced the resumption of US-Venezuelan commercial passenger service in May 2026, joining United Airlines which announced earlier the resumption of Houston-Caracas service after a nine-year suspension. The flights restore direct passenger connectivity between the two countries for the first time since 2017.
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Published: 2026-05-14T10:00:00-03:00 · Updated: 2026-05-14T10:00:00-03:00 · Dateline: CARACAS
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