Oil falls as Maduro capture raises supply questions

Oil prices opened the first full trading week of 2026 with a muted reaction to one of the most dramatic geopolitical events in recent history: the weekend US military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro.

- Issac John

Benchmarks such as Brent crude edged slightly lower, with WTI also dipping as investors weighed whether the upheaval in Caracas could meaningfully alter the supply-demand balance in a market already grappling with oversupply and subdued demand growth.

The Wall Street Journal and other outlets noted that markets were awaiting clarity on the oil supply implications of the US action, but initial trading suggested traders saw limited near-term disruption. Brent, the global oil benchmark, has hovered around $60 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate — the US marker - has remained near mid-$50s, continuing the downtrend that marked 2025 as one of the poorest years for crude in half a decade.