DISINFO: Now that US shale oil is bankrupt, Trump may attack Venezuela
SUMMARY
Now that the shale oil industry in the US is facing almost total bankruptcy, there could be a new “war for oil” in the future. With Trump pointing again to Venezuela, this war may be closer than we think. Venezuela, the country with the biggest proven oil reserves in the world, reappeared on the list of priorities of the Trump Administration, as shown by the designation of high Venezuelan officials, including President Nicolás Maduro, as drug traffickers and the deployment of Navy destroyers, warships, planes and helicopters in a so-called “anti-narcotic effort”. This is equivalent to a de facto blockade of Venezuelan exports, including oil.
RESPONSE
Conspiracy theory not sustained by any evidence. Shale oil has long been targeted not only by Saudi Arabia but also by Russia. Most experts accept that the most inefficient and weaker US shale companies will be bankrupt, but that this doesn't mean the end of the shale industry at all. Besides, the stated goal of the US naval anti-drug operation ashore Venezuela that triggered allegations about an eventual invasion is to nearly double the US counter-narcotics capacity in the Western Hemisphere. Experts pointed out that the military assets mobilised are consistent with that goal but not sufficient for a successful invasion, contrary to what is claimed. This is part of a recurrent Russian disinformation narrative about constant US plots to undermine Latin American governments. You can see many examples in our database, such as alleged plans to designate drug cartels as terrorist organisations as a cover for military control of Mexico, the next country in Washington’s destabilisation list after Bolivia; claims of a US plot to invade Mexico; an alleged CIA-led Twitter campaign and a hybrid war in Bolivia, the engineering of blackouts all over Latin America, the promotion of secessionism in Mexico or Venezuela, the training of Venezuelan exiles in Guyana for military operations inside the country, preparations for military intervention in that country after forcing Brazil to join NATO or the existence of an alleged 'Operation Condor for the XXIst century'.