The OPEC country is facing an economic crisis, with millions suffering food and medicine shortages. Venezuela relies on oil for about 95 percent of export revenue though output has fallen significantly in recent years.

"The year 2018 will be one of recovery, after having touched a historic low. We are now near 1.9 million barrels of oil per day, thanks to the workers," said Quevedo, a military general, speaking in a television interview.

He gave few details, sticking to general aims like eradicating corruption and placing power in workers' hands as a means to revive Venezuela's oil industry.

Venezuela told OPEC it produced 1.834 million bpd in November, the lowest figure for the year so far. Quevedo implied that December's figure, to be published by OPEC on Thursday, would be higher.

Analysts, however, expect the precipitous decline in output to continue, given the country's economic crisis.

Quevedo blames U.S. sanctions and corruption for the problems, echoing President Nicolas Maduro who says Venezuela is suffering from an "economic war" waged by Washington.

Critics blame a crumbling oil sector, tight and failing currency and price controls and an authoritarian government doubling down on a decade and a half of inept policy.

(Reporting by Deisy Buitrago and Girish Gupta; Writing by Girish Gupta; Editing by Alexandra Ulmer and Jeffrey Benkoe)