Trump announces 'biggest oil deal in world history' with Venezuela
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Президент США Дональд Трамп (Photo: REUTERS/Kylie Cooper)
U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States
has reached what he called the “biggest oil deal in world history” with
Venezuela. He announced
the deal on Aug. 29 on Truth Social.
“The United States of America has just entered into an
Agreement with the Country of Venezuela on, THE BIGGEST OIL DEAL IN WORLD
HISTORY! At my direction, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of War
Pete Hegseth, working closely with Highly Respected Interim President of
Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez, and, through a partnership with private business,
have secured majority U.S. control of more than 65 BILLION BARRELS of proven
Oil Reserves in Venezuela, at no cost to the American Taxpayer,” he wrote.
Trump said the deal would more than double U.S. oil
reserves, greatly increase oil supplies and substantially lower gasoline prices
for Americans, while “helping to continue to set Venezuela on a course toward
Tremendous Success and Great Prosperity.”
“This Transaction will greatly strengthen the already
growing relationship between Venezuela and the United States!” Trump added.
CNN,
citing a White House source, reported that the deal would give the United
States “55% of the actual production of a new private joint venture that, by
reserves, will become the second-largest private oil company in the world.”
The source also said Rodríguez, with U.S. backing, granted a
private company 100-year concessions to oil fields. The official added that the
private company is a joint venture between the U.S. government and a private
operator in Venezuela.
“The United States government has secured more than half the
value of this new oil giant, split between an equity stake and guaranteed
purchases at cost. As the company ramps up production, steady supplies of oil
at cost in our hemisphere will go toward replenishing the U.S. Strategic Petroleum
Reserve and meeting the supply needs of our armed forces,” the CNN source said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the agreement “a
huge win for both the American and Venezuelan people.”
“For the Venezuelan people, this agreement will bring nearly
$100 billion in private investment, create thousands of high-paying jobs and
serve as a driving force behind the recovery of Venezuela’s economy,” Rubio
said shortly after Trump’s announcement.
On Aug. 28, Axios, citing two U.S. officials, reported that
the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump was negotiating with
Venezuela’s interim government to acquire a stake in the South American
country’s vast oil resources.
Trump began privately discussing ways to acquire an
ownership stake in Venezuelan oil fields even before he authorized the Jan. 3
capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, who has been charged in New York
with narco-terrorism.
Venezuela’s oil sector is in relative decline because of the
legacy of mismanagement under Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chávez, after
Chávez came to power in 1999.
As previously reported, U.S. Deputy Energy Secretary Kyle
Haustveit said that about half of the oil Venezuela produces is now exported to
the United States.
In August, the Venezuelan government and opposition
representatives officially began a political dialogue with U.S. support that could
determine the terms for future democratic elections.
Overnight into Jan. 3, the United States carried out a
military operation in Venezuela. During the operation, U.S. special forces
captured dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and removed them
from the country.
On Jan. 5, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez officially became
Venezuela’s acting president.
On March 18, the United States partially eased sanctions on
Venezuela, allowing U.S. companies to work with its state oil company to
stabilize the oil market amid the war with Iran. Restrictions remain, however:
financial transactions will be monitored by the United States, while deals with
a number of countries and debt transactions are prohibited.
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