The U.S. oil embargo on Venezuela remains firmly in place—and won't budge anytime soon, according to top State Department officials. The key condition? Washington wants proof that Caracas is genuinely aligned with American interests. It's a straightforward calculation: energy security meets diplomatic leverage. For market watchers, this matters because energy policy shifts often ripple through global capital flows and commodity prices. Venezuela's oil situation creates both supply constraints and political uncertainty that traders monitor closely. The administration's stance signals no immediate thaw in relations, which keeps pressure on regional energy dynamics and broader geopolitical risk assessments.