The Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has raised concerns over Donald Trump’s recent oil deal with Venezuela’s interim government, asserting that the country’s natural resources do not belong to an "illegitimate regime." This statement comes in the wake of Trump announcing what he termed "the biggest oil deal in world history" with Venezuela last Friday.
Context
In her first public remarks since the announcement, Machado navigated a delicate diplomatic situation, balancing her criticism of the agreement while avoiding direct confrontation with the White House. In a video shared on social media, she stated:
“"Of course the United States is the principal partner Venezuela needs to fully develop its strategic potential. This is what the majority of Venezuelans believe … and it is something I’ve spent my whole life defending."
However, she emphasized that the current occupants of the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas are "enemies of the US" and lack the democratic mandate to negotiate Venezuela’s natural resources. She expressed the sentiments of her supporters, saying:
“"The wealth of our subsoil does not belong to an illegitimate regime – it belongs to the Venezuelan people."
Developments
Venezuela is home to the world’s largest proven crude oil reserves, estimated at 303 billion barrels, with over 65 billion barrels involved in the agreement. Trump’s deal was made with the unelected interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed power in January after her predecessor, Nicolás Maduro, was reportedly abducted by US special forces.
