Key PointsWashington says it is selling sanctioned Venezuelan oil at market prices to pay for basic services, not politicians. The Trump administration is trying to prevent Venezuela’s collapse from becoming a regional emergency by using the country’s most valuable asset as a financial lifeline: oil. Testifying to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington has created a short-term mechanism to fund policing, sanitation, and core government functions. Rubio said revenue will come from sanctioned Venezuelan oil sold at market prices, with proceeds steered toward public services rather than the former governing network. Second is economic recovery and a cleanup of the oil sector, including rules intended to reduce corruption and favoritism.