US lawmaker asks Vitol, Trafigura about Venezuela oil deals

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January 29, 2026 1:30 PM EST

U.S. Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA) speaks next to U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and U.S. Representative Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ) at a press conference, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., November 18, 2025. REUTERS/Annabelle Gordon

WASHINGTON, Jan 29 (Reuters) - The ⁠top Democrat on ⁠a ‍U.S. House investigative committee has asked global trading houses Vitol and Trafigura about any correspondence with the Trump administration before ‍the U.S. capture of Venezuela's leader, to determine, he said on ​Thursday, who benefits from that action.

Representative Robert Garcia asked in a letter to Vitol ​CEO Russell Hardy and Trafigura CEO Richard Holtum for all communications between their companies and any members of the Trump administration from January 2025 until now.

U.S. forces captured ​Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro early this month and the Trump administration has said it will manage Venezuela's oil sales "indefinitely."

Vitol and Trafigura obtained the ​first U.S. licenses to load and export Venezuelan oil.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

The oversight committee has broad authority ‌to investigate any matter. While Democrats do not currently control the House, President Donald Trump's fellow Republicans are in a ​battle to retain control of the House ⁠in November's midterm elections.

KEY QUOTE

Garcia wrote in a letter to the companies that lawmakers on his committee are seeking "answers ‌about the Trump Administration's intentions regarding its sale and marketing of Venezuelan oil, as well as its intentions regarding the resulting revenue."

"We further seek to understand ‌the nature of any agreements your companies have made with the Trump Administration regarding Venezuelan ‌commodities, and the role your companies hold in carrying out the Administration's actions relating to Venezuela."

Vitol said it had no comment and Trafigura said it was reviewing the ‍letter.

CONTEXT

On Wednesday, a dozen House Democrats sent a separate letter to 21 companies who attended a January 9 ⁠White House meeting, including Vitol and Trafigura, about developing Venezuelan oil resources, warning them that any transaction or investment they make there faces legal and financial risks.

(Reporting by Timothy Gardner in Washington and Robert Harvey in London; Editing by Toby Chopra and Tom Hogue)


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