- Wright landed in Caracas on Tuesday night, four days after Trump announced what he called the biggest oil deal in world history.
- Wright denied US seeking to commandeer Venezuelan oil, replying 'Absolutely not' to a CNBC journalist.
- Wright described the deal as an 'absolutely historic transformation' and said, 'This is President Trump's grand plan to replace conflict with commerce'.
- The Wall Street Journal editorial board criticized the deal, saying it looks less like a normal commercial transaction than it does of US businessmen meeting with the Cuban strongman in The Godfather Part II.
- Economist Francisco Rodríguez stated, 'we've replaced gunboat diplomacy now for gunpoint diplomacy', arguing that no Venezuelan government would have entered the deal unless the country had been subject to an invasion.
- Delcy Rodríguez was installed as interim president on 5 January, two days after President Nicolás Maduro was abducted by US special forces during a predawn raid on Caracas.
- Rodríguez claimed the oil deal had endless benefits and would help produce more than $209bn in revenues for healthcare and education.
- Rodríguez stated, 'We are thinking of Venezuela's future' during a televised broadcast to the nation.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright defended the controversial oil deal with Venezuela, labeling it an 'absolutely historic transformation'. He dismissed accusations of 'gunpoint diplomacy', asserting that the US is not attempting to commandeer Venezuelan oil.34
Wright's remarks came after Trump announced what he termed 'the biggest oil deal in world history', claiming it would provide the US with control over 65 billion barrels of oil.1
The deal aims to bolster US 'energy dominance for the next century' and eliminate foreign influence, particularly from China and Russia, in Venezuela, which holds the world's largest proven oil reserves.
Critics, including the Wall Street Journal, likened the arrangement to US businessmen meeting with a foreign dictator, while economist Francisco Rodríguez argued that such a deal would only occur under extreme duress, suggesting a shift from 'gunboat diplomacy' to 'gunpoint diplomacy'.56
The Venezuelan interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, claimed the deal would generate over $209 billion in revenue, aimed at improving healthcare and education in the country.7
Wright emphasized that the US is focused on 'Venezuela's future', countering the narrative of coercion.
“Wright landed in Caracas four days after Trump announced the deal, which the White House says will secure 'energy dominance for the next century' by excluding China and Russia. The Wall Street Journal editorial board likened the deal to a scene from The Godfather Part II, saying the US is 'getting in bed with a foreign dictator'.”
The Guardian
