Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado has publicly challenged the legitimacy of the United States’ newly announced oil agreement with Venezuela’s interim government. While President Donald Trump hailed the deal as “the biggest oil deal in world history,” Machado argued that the country’s natural resources cannot be bartered by a regime she deems illegal and lacking a democratic mandate. Her remarks, delivered in her first public statement since the pact was unveiled, walk a careful line between condemning the arrangement and avoiding a direct confrontation with the White House. The controversy underscores the political tension surrounding Venezuela’s transition and raises questions about how international partners will navigate the country’s contested authority.
Opposition leader says interim government lacking democratic mandate to negotiate on natural resourcesThe Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has questioned Donald Trump’s oil deal with Venezuela’s interim government, saying the country’s natural resources do not belong to “an illegitimate regime”.In her first public comments since Trump announced what he called “the biggest oil deal in world history” with Venezuela last Friday, Machado walked a diplomatic tightrope between challenging the agreement and trying not to rile the White House. Continue reading...
