Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is willing to accept U.S. investment in his country's oil sector, cooperate in combating drug trafficking, and engage in serious dialogue with the United States, Reuters reported, citing Maduro's New Year's interview.

"We must begin a serious dialogue based on facts," Maduro said during his annual interview with Spanish journalists, which was published by Mexican newspaper La Jornada and broadcast on Venezuelan state TV on New Year's Day.

"If they want to seriously discuss an agreement to combat drug trafficking, we are ready... If they want Venezuela's oil, Venezuela is ready to receive investments from U.S. companies like Chevron at the time, place and manner they wish," he said.

The remarks reaffirmed Maduro's previous stance of being open to dialogue with President Donald Trump, who has intensified pressure on Maduro with measures including expanded sanctions, deploying more troops to the region, and more than 20 actions against vessels allegedly involved in drug trafficking in the Pacific and Caribbean.

Maduro claims this pressure is an attempt to seize Venezuela's vast natural resources.

Maduro said in the interview, "What is the goal of the United States? As they themselves have said, to seize all of Venezuela's oil, gold, and rare earth elements."

Trump stated this week that U.S. forces attacked a Venezuelan dock used as a drug loading point, without specifying its location. Maduro did not confirm the attack in his interview but said he could discuss the issue in the coming days.

"Our national defense system, combined with the people, the army, and the police, has guaranteed and will continue to guarantee territorial integrity and national peace," Maduro said.

A blog linked to Venezuela's ruling party stated this week that the site of the attack was a narrow coastal strip on the La Guajira peninsula.

Maduro has always denied U.S. allegations that his government operates a drug-run state. He claims that cocaine smuggled through the region originates from neighboring Colombia and that Venezuela has a "perfect model" for eradicating drug trafficking.

While U.S. sanctions and the recent seizure of oil tankers have halved Venezuela's normal crude oil exports, major U.S. company Chevron, which has received special permission from the United States to export Venezuelan crude, has continued its exports. The decline in oil exports is expected to reduce the inflow of foreign currency to Venezuela's private sector, fueling inflation and further worsening the already difficult economic situation for the Venezuelan people. The bolivar has depreciated by 83% during 2025.

Venezuela's defaulted international bonds are trading at extreme distressed levels, but prices have broadly doubled since January 2025, boosted by expectations of a change in government following Trump's inauguration.

By Sung Ku Hong, Chief Reporter NNP / Special Correspondent for this newspaper NNP info@newsandpost.com