PARAGUANA PENINSULA, Venezuela (AP) — Less than two weeks after a U.S. military operation captured former President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, and as his successor, acting President Delcy Rodriguez, announced plans to reform Venezuela’s energy sector, the country’s largest oil refining hub dominates the northwestern coast. Across the Paraguana Peninsula, fishing boats share the water with oil tankers, as daily life stretches from refinery-side coastal communities and salt flats to the sand dunes of Medanos de Coro National Park.
A boy stands on a fishing boat with the Cardon refinery in the background in Punta Cardon, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
A boy stands on a fishing boat with the Cardon refinery in the background in Punta Cardon, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
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Flames rise from flare stacks at the Amuay refinery in Los Taques, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
Flames rise from flare stacks at the Amuay refinery in Los Taques, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
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Truck driver Francisco Rodriguez waits to load salt at the Salinas de Cumaraguas salt flats on the Paraguana Peninsula, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
Truck driver Francisco Rodriguez waits to load salt at the Salinas de Cumaraguas salt flats on the Paraguana Peninsula, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
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Fishermen pass an oil tanker in the Gulf of Venezuela off the shore of Punta Cardon, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
Fishermen pass an oil tanker in the Gulf of Venezuela off the shore of Punta Cardon, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
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Ceylis Mendez and her daughter Zoe cool off in the Gulf of Venezuela in front of the Cardon oil refinery off the shore of Punta Cardon, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
Ceylis Mendez and her daughter Zoe cool off in the Gulf of Venezuela in front of the Cardon oil refinery off the shore of Punta Cardon, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
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Fishermen ready their nets near the Cardon refinery in Punta Cardon, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
Fishermen ready their nets near the Cardon refinery in Punta Cardon, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
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A fisherman throws his net with the Cardon refinery in the background in Punta Cardon, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
A fisherman throws his net with the Cardon refinery in the background in Punta Cardon, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
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Fishermen ready the nets as oil tankers are docked at the Cardon refinery in Punta Cardon, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
Fishermen ready the nets as oil tankers are docked at the Cardon refinery in Punta Cardon, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
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A woman walks her dog as flames burn from flare stacks at the Cardon refinery in Punta Cardon, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
A woman walks her dog as flames burn from flare stacks at the Cardon refinery in Punta Cardon, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
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Members of the Sanchez family work at the Salinas de Cumaraguas salt flats on the Paraguana Peninsula, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
Members of the Sanchez family work at the Salinas de Cumaraguas salt flats on the Paraguana Peninsula, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
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Jose Gabriel Sanchez cuts a block of salt at the Salinas de Las Cumaraguas salt ponds on the Paraguana Peninsula in Falcon state, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
Jose Gabriel Sanchez cuts a block of salt at the Salinas de Las Cumaraguas salt ponds on the Paraguana Peninsula in Falcon state, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
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Francklin Fonseca works at the Salinas de Cumaraguas salt flats on the Paraguana Peninsula, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
Francklin Fonseca works at the Salinas de Cumaraguas salt flats on the Paraguana Peninsula, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
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Workers stand atop a truck being loaded with salt at the Salinas de Las Cumaraguas salt ponds on the Paraguana Peninsula in Falcon state, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026.. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
Workers stand atop a truck being loaded with salt at the Salinas de Las Cumaraguas salt ponds on the Paraguana Peninsula in Falcon state, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026.. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
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People work at the Salinas de Cumaraguas salt flats on the Paraguana Peninsula, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
People work at the Salinas de Cumaraguas salt flats on the Paraguana Peninsula, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
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People work at the Salinas de Cumaraguas salt flats on the Paraguana Peninsula, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
People work at the Salinas de Cumaraguas salt flats on the Paraguana Peninsula, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
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Members of the Sanchez family work at the Salinas de Cumaraguas salt flats on the Paraguana Peninsula, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
Members of the Sanchez family work at the Salinas de Cumaraguas salt flats on the Paraguana Peninsula, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
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People work at the Salinas de Cumaraguas salt flats on the Paraguana Peninsula, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
People work at the Salinas de Cumaraguas salt flats on the Paraguana Peninsula, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
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Jarrison Arias sells shaved-ice treats along the road at Medanos de Coro National Park in Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
Jarrison Arias sells shaved-ice treats along the road at Medanos de Coro National Park in Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
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Goats cross the sand dunes at Medanos de Coro National Park in Falcon state, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
Goats cross the sand dunes at Medanos de Coro National Park in Falcon state, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
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