So the current administration's Venezuela playbook isn't just about regime change—it's about locking down a reliable oil supplier for domestic refiners and projecting geopolitical leverage over one of the world's largest petroleum reserves.

The endgame? Flip a collapsing petro-economy into a Washington-friendly swing producer operating within OPEC's coordination framework. That reshapes supply dynamics and tightens U.S. control over energy price levers.

Though honestly, calling Venezuela a potential "swing producer" feels optimistic given infrastructure decay and production constraints. The pivot might take years, if it works at all.