Venezuelan state oil company says in talks with US to sell crude oil

CARACAS - Venezuela's state-owned oil company Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. said Wednesday it is holding bilateral trade negotiations with the United States for the sale of crude oil.

In a statement posted on its Telegram channel, the oil company said the two sides are discussing "the sale of oil volumes," and that the process is being carried out using "similar schemes to those currently in place with international companies, such as Chevron."

The announcement came a day after US President Donald Trump said Venezuela would supply the United States with high-quality oil.

The United States launched a large-scale military operation against Venezuela in the early hours of Jan 3, taking by force Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, before putting them in custody in New York.

The United States has been widely bashed and protested following the military strike on Venezuela, which many view as an unlawful action primarily driven by a desire to control the South American country's vast oil reserves.