lead to conflict that happens in Venezuela. In fact, according to Reuters, National Security Advisor, John Bolton, has spoken of transferring the funds to the PDVSA from the USA which go directly to the Maduro regime, to Gauido (Holland and Ellsworth). This would create heightened tensions for China as it is owed Venezuelan oil. However, although there would be no international conflict between the US and China, there is a great likelihood that military support would be sent Maduro, to secure his position and ultimately Chinese interests, thus there will be a conflict in Venezuela over energy resources. Colgan argues that violence in petrostates is greater than non-petrostates because, “petrostates spend more on military arms and personnel than non-petrostates” (Colgan, 7), and if Gauido does receive the income from the PDVSA then he would be able to respond to Maduro in kind. Therefore, it is clear that the economic significance of oil has exacerbated political issues to the point of conflict due to the varying interests and investments of foreign nations and their views of energy security. It is clear that energy resources shall inevitably result in conflict due to the economic significance they have. This conflict can take place at the community or national level as big corporations and nations neglect the position of the individual to preserve their own economic interests. Conflict over energy resources occurs as the complex web of interdependency, foreign investment, and the various meanings nations create for energy security, draws states into, and exacerbates, political crises due to vested economic interests. Although the prediction about Venezuela is largely pessimistic, it is a logical realist prediction. Moving forward, “the challenge to energy security will grow more urgent in the years ahead, because the scale of the global trade in energy will grow substantially as world markets become more integrated,” (Yergin, 79) and it is clear that these economic investments in energy resources shall only become greater, thus increasing the risk and likelihood of conflict.>