Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodríguez signed an agreement granting U.S. companies majority control over 65 billion barrels of crude oil.

By Luc Cohen NEW YORK, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro urged a U.S. judge on Wednesday to dismiss criminal drug trafficking charges against him, arguing he should be immune from prosecution as the head of a sovereign country.

U.S. oil company North American Blue Energy ⁠Partners ⁠will take over some oilfields previously controlled by several ⁠Chinese companies and a Russian firm, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Monday.

U.S. President Donald Trump is continuing his pursuit of Venezuela's oil jackpot, announcing a new deal aimed at boosting production in the South American country. And while Trump is flaunting the potential controlling stake in a portion of Venezuela's oil reserves as a warning to Canada,

Chevron, the only U.S. oil company operating in Venezuela, said it has received additional land in the Orinoco Belt region and plans to double its oil production.

Chevron Corp. plans to invest $7 billion over the next five years through its joint venture partnerships to more than double crude production in Venezuela, the largest financial commitment so far in a U.S. government-led push to revive the Latin American country’s oil industry.

Chevron says it will expand its operations in Venezuela, following the Trump administration’s move for a Pentagon-backed plan to develop the country’s oil reserves.

The U.S. energy giant, which stayed in the country after other Western companies left, will invest $7 billion in the country to more than double its production there.

Chevron announced plans Wednesday to more than double its oil production in Venezuela over the next five years through a $7 billion investment that expands its position in the South American nation. CNBC’s Brian Sullivan and Mike Wirth,

Chevron said it plans to invest more than $7 billion in Venezuela over the next five years and hopes to double its current production there to about 600,000 barrels a day.