Venezuela has sent its first crude oil shipment to Israel in several years, marking a notable shift in the South American nation’s oil export patterns following recent political upheaval, multiple reports cited Bloomberg on Tuesday. The delivery to Israel’s Bazan Group, the country’s largest crude processor, would be the first since mid‑2020, according to energy tracking firm Kpler data.
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The shipment comes amid a broader reopening of Venezuelan oil exports after a shift in control over the country’s energy sector earlier this year. US forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January 2026, and the Trump administration announced it would oversee Venezuela’s international oil sales. Since then, Venezuelan oil cargoes have been sold to buyers in India, Spain, the United States and now Israel as export flows reroute from their previous focus on China.
FAKE! pic.twitter.com/4mDJoouXWi
— Miguel Ángel Pérez Pirela (@maperezpirela) February 10, 2026
Details of the deal have not been officially disclosed by Venezuelan or Israeli authorities. Israel typically does not publicise the origins of its crude oil imports, and tankers sometimes drop off digital tracking systems as they near the country’s ports. Bloomberg sources said the oil cargo bound for Bazan Group would mark the first such delivery in over five years.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Miguel Pérez Pirela took to social media to dismiss the report as false, posting a snapshot of the Bloomberg article stamped “FAKE,” illustrating the ongoing controversy around the shipment’s reporting.
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If confirmed, the shipment would underscore rapidly changing dynamics in Venezuela’s oil trade, driven by easing sanctions and new export licensing arrangements after Maduro’s apprehension. The emerging picture shows a diversification of Venezuelan oil markets, with shipments reaching destinations around the world following years of sanctions‑related restrictions.