Trump Meant It Literally When He Said He Was Taking the Oil
The Venezuela operation is the purest distillation of his amoral foreign policy.
TL;DR
- Donald Trump announced a deal to develop Venezuela's oil reserves, calling it a "Gift from Venezuela to the People of the United States."
- The author criticizes the deal as an "oil heist" and a reflection of Trump's amoral foreign policy.
- Venezuela's elected representatives did not approve the deal, and a referendum was not held.
- The Trump administration previously indicted Nicolás Maduro and allies for leading a criminal syndicate, "Cartel de Los Soles."
- The deal is seen as exploiting Venezuela rather than transforming its governance.
- The deal is structured to bind future Venezuelan governments, making it difficult to unwind.
- Trump's partners in the deal have been investigated for money laundering and other crimes.
- Trump's foreign policy is characterized by a preference for criminals and dictators over democratically elected leaders.
- Trump has long advocated for seizing oil in foreign conflicts, a policy he is now fulfilling in Venezuela.