‘A New Form of U.S. Colonialism’: Venezuelans Bristle at U.S. Oil Takeover NYT > Top Stories By: Julie Turkewitz 30 August 2026 at 00:50 A deal giving the U.S. majority control of vast Venezuelan reserves strikes at the heart of national identity. © Alejandro Cegarra for The New York TimesSupporters of Venezuela’s government rally to demand the release of ousted President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, in Caracas, Venezuela, in January.