Why? Because they have to largest reserves of oil in the world. Second our refineries can’t refine anything but the oil from there.
Now do you want Russia or China in control of all that oil?
A long time ago pal was sent down to Vz to rebuild a fertilizer plant built originally by the Italian National Oil Company. It took the better part of a year to get the prill process right, fueled with plentiful and cheap Vz natural gas.
Then Hugo was elected and some military guys showed up with some new “empolyees” for the plant.
The goof-offs were friends of Hugo and disruptive. Plus occasionally threatening.
A US company jet had filed flight plans for an airport in nearby Columbia but went on to Vz and collected the guy and his wife, returning them to the US.
They left their car, apartment, refrigerator full of food and pet cats behind. The revolutionaries didn’t know they had left until a day later.
A true story.