Immersive lays out crumbling infrastructure, shifting geopolitics of Venezuela oil

By Anika Arora Seth, Will Jarrett, Phil Holm and Eva Malek

Shortly after President Donald Trump said the United States would “run” Venezuela and sell its oil globally — a claim that drew widespread skepticism from energy analysts — AP journalists moved quickly to explain why that goal could be far more complicated than it sounded.

The interactive project — immersive, data‑rich and visually engaging — zoomed in on the technical challenges facing Venezuela’s oil industry, including its extra‑heavy crude and severely deteriorated infrastructure, which has limited production despite the country holding the world’s largest proven reserves.

Visual news designer Anika Arora Seth, interactive artist Will Jarrett and artists Phil Holm and Eva Malek transformed complex data into clear, reader‑friendly visuals — including animations and interactive maps that show how oil production has declined over decades, how crude exports shifted among countries, and how infrastructure decay undermines Venezuela’s ability to ramp up output.

The team anticipated that the question of Venezuela’s energy sector viability would grow more urgent as political and military developments unfolded. By assembling the interactive swiftly and with strong journalism at its core, AP was able to provide clarity early in a news cycle dominated by dramatic headlines. Judges praised the meticulous reporting, comprehensive data and accessible presentation that met reader demand while unpacking a deeply complicated topic.

For smart planning, impressive reporting, innovative presentation and swiftness, Anika Arora Seth, Will Jarrett, Phil Holm and Eva Malek win this week’s second citation for Best of the Week.