US Energy Secretary Chris Wright has called Venezuela's oil reserves a "nice coincidence" with Washington's interests.
"It may be a nice coincidence, but it's a coincidence that Venezuela's main product and huge resource is oil," he told Politico.
Wright claims that the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by US authorities was not planned to increase oil supplies and that Venezuela's reserves "were never a significant factor in decision-making".
On January 3, Washington announced a military operation in Caracas, as a result of which Maduro and his wife were captured by US forces. On January 5, they appeared in federal court for the Southern District of New York. They are charged with drug trafficking. Maduro and his wife have pleaded not guilty. Delcy Rodriguez, who was Maduro's executive vice president, is Venezuela's acting head of state. The U.S. administration has said the United States will take temporary control of Venezuela.