US Energy Secretary to Visit Venezuela Following Oil Deal Approval
Axios (Tổng hợp từ Al Jazeera English)
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright will visit Venezuela after the country approved a deal giving the US effective control over a large share of its oil reserves. The deal, which remains partly undisclosed, has drawn criticism but is defended by the interim government. The visit comes as the Trump administration seeks to expand US influence in Venezuela's energy sector.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright will travel to Venezuela after the South American nation approved a deal granting the US effective control over a large portion of its oil reserves. An unnamed US official said Wright would depart on Tuesday as the Trump administration pushes forward with the controversial energy agreement.
“Above all, this serves the national interest of the United States,” the official said, emphasizing that the US being able to “reliably buy oil at original prices” is “extremely important.”
Details of the agreement are still emerging and have been likened by critics to deals imposed by colonial powers in the past. However, the interim government of Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez has defended the agreement as beneficial to the country’s struggling economy. The National Assembly, led by her brother Jorge Rodriguez, voted in favor of the measure on Tuesday.
“Support for the bilateral energy treaty between the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the United States of America... has been approved,” Jorge Rodriguez announced. Despite this, there was opposition within the Assembly. Some opposition lawmakers abstained and condemned the lack of public disclosure of the agreement’s terms.
“We need and have an obligation to know what is written in the detailed terms,” said lawmaker Luis Emilio Rondon, calling for the “full and complete publication of the text of what has been agreed.”
While details are still being revealed, the deal is expected to grant the US access to 65 billion barrels of proven oil reserves in Venezuela, roughly one-fifth of the country’s total. Under the agreement, the US will work with a private company to extract oil from 17 major oil fields in Venezuela. Leases for these fields will last 100 years, according to reports.
The White House confirmed on Monday that it is working with North American Blue Energy Partners (NABEP), led by Venezuelan businessman Alejandro Betancourt. Betancourt was an ally of late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and has faced criminal investigations over money laundering allegations in Spain and Switzerland. An unnamed US official defended the partnership, arguing that Betancourt does not face any criminal charges in the US.
“I’m not nominating anyone for sainthood here,” the official said, instead emphasizing the deal as a “geopolitical opportunity to secure oil fields that were previously largely under the influence of Chinese and Russian companies.” When asked about the possibility of democratic elections in Venezuela, the official said it was not feasible in the near future, and transitional phases “almost always require working with components of the current structure, even if you are creating a new one.”
In a separate development, oil giant Chevron is expected to sign an agreement to expand its operations in Venezuela on Wednesday. Venezuela’s energy sector has severely deteriorated, with critics blaming heavy US sanctions and poor government management. While the Trump administration pushes for greater international involvement in Venezuela’s oil industry, some companies remain skeptical about investing there.
The 65-billion-barrel oil deal was announced on August 27 on Trump’s Truth Social platform. His administration has increased pressure on the Venezuelan government since launching a military campaign on January 3 to capture and detain Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Trump and Maduro have often clashed. After Maduro was captured, Trump backed Vice President Rodriguez to take over the Venezuelan government, viewing her as a model of cooperation.
