VENEZUELA(National times)- Venezuela has been at the centre of a heated dispute over reports that it has resumed crude oil exports to Israel for the first time since 2020, a move several international outlets linked to shifts in the country’s energy policy after recent political turmoil. Multiple news organisations, citing sources familiar with the transaction, reported that a Venezuelan crude oil cargo is en route to Israel’s Bazan Group, the nation’s largest crude processor. If confirmed, such a shipment would mark the first direct export from Venezuela to Israel in over five years, with the last known delivery to the Middle Eastern country estimated at approximately 470,000 barrels in mid-2020. Those reports emerged amid significant changes in Venezuela’s oil sector following the January 2026 capture of former president Nicolás Maduro and a broader reopening of Venezuelan exports under new management. Analysts said that the potential shipment could be part of a trend of diversifying export destinations after years of heavy dependence on markets such as China. However, Venezuelan authorities have firmly denied the claims. Vice President for Communications and Culture Miguel Ángel Pérez Pirela publicly dismissed the reports as “false news,” sharing a screenshot of the Bloomberg article stamped with the word “FAKE” on his official social media account. Venezuelan officials insist there is no evidence of any such oil sale or delivery to Israel. Some analysts have warned that conflicting information could reflect broader geopolitical tensions affecting both energy markets and diplomatic relations in the region.