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🇻🇪 Venezuela /Energy & Infrastructure

Axios: The secret story of the “baron” Trump chose to control Venezuelan oil

From El Nacional · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Venezuelan businessman Alejandro Betancourt reportedly became a key intermediary in the United States’ effort to remove Nicolás Maduro and arrange a post-Maduro transition.
  • U.S. officials and people close to Betancourt describe his contacts with Delcy Rodríguez, Mauricio Claver-Carone and other figures during negotiations over Venezuela’s political future and oil production.
  • A reported verbal oil agreement would give Venezuela between 16% and 40% of production, although the provided text ends before giving further terms.

The oil deal that would give the United States effective control over 17 major Venezuelan fields has a central figure: Alejandro Betancourt, a 46-year-old Caracas businessman whose history includes multimillion-dollar deals, international intrigue, a $1.2 billion money-laundering investigation and a castle in Spain searched by authorities.

A U.S. official told Axios, “Without Betancourt there is no energy security deal. And Maduro could still be in power if it weren’t for him.” The businessman’s relationship with Washington began during Donald Trump’s first presidency, when Mauricio Claver-Carone served as the National Security Council’s Western Hemisphere affairs director and the administration recognized Nicolás Maduro as Venezuela’s illegitimate president.

Without Betancourt there is no energy security deal. And Maduro could still be in power if it weren’t for him.

— U.S. officialThe official described Betancourt’s alleged role in the energy and political arrangement involving Venezuela.

In 2019, Trump became the first world leader to recognize Juan Guaidó, then president of Venezuela’s National Assembly, as the country’s legitimate leader. According to Gustavo Guaidó, an opposition figure and Guaidó’s brother, Betancourt acted as an intermediary between the opposition and Venezuelan political figures and senior military officials. He also traveled to Moscow to deliver a letter from the Guaidó government asking Russia to stop supporting Maduro.

When Trump demanded that Maduro leave Venezuela last year, Betancourt sounded out Vice President Delcy Rodríguez about whether she would lead a replacement government. “Alejandro did not make a direct request to Delcy; it was more about taking her temperature and finding out where her head was,” a second U.S. official told Axios. On Jan. 3, when U.S. forces captured Maduro, Claver-Carone spoke by phone with Betancourt, who was also in contact with Rodríguez. An ally said Rodríguez initially believed the United States had killed Maduro, leaving her angry and frightened. Betancourt eventually persuaded her to speak with Secretary of State Marco Rubio about taking charge. By mid-August, Betancourt, Rodríguez and U.S. officials had a verbal oil agreement. Under the reported terms, Venezuela would receive between 16% and 40% of production.

Alejandro did not make a direct request to Delcy; it was more about taking her temperature and finding out where her head was.

— Second U.S. officialThe official characterized Betancourt’s contacts with Delcy Rodríguez over a possible replacement government.
About this summary

Originally published by El Nacional in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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