The vice president stated that the oil import and export business is still operating normally.

Venezuelan Vice President and Oil Minister Rodriguez stated on December 17th that the export business of crude oil and its derivatives by the Venezuelan national oil company is currently operating normally. Rodriguez released a government statement through social media, stating that tankers related to the company's operations continue to sail under "full security, technical support, and operational guarantee." The statement also pointed out that the Venezuelan oil industry has been a target of unilateral coercive measures, sabotage activities, cyber attacks for many years, and has recently been the object of "international pirate actions."