Venezuela Helped Build OPEC. Now It May Help Break It Apart

Venezuela helped create OPEC. More than six decades later, it is considering walking away, and Washington appears perfectly happy to hold open the door. Caracas is weighing whether to leave the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Bloomberg reported Friday, citing people familiar with discussions that have included U.S. officials. No final decision has been made. Venezuela produced about 1.117 million barrels per day (bpd) in July according to OPEC’s secondary sources, and is currently exempt from OPEC production quotas after…