U.S.-Venezuela oil deal puts opposition in a political bind
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deal → put → bind
Venezuelan opposition members are uneasy with new oil deals with the U.S., worried that agreements with authoritarian regime in Caracas could undermine democratic progress.
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agreements → worry → progress
The blockbuster oil deal between the United States and Venezuela that was announced last week has opposition leaders in Venezuela treading a fine line.
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leaders → announce → line
They fear the agreement could help Venezuela's authoritarian regime stay in power, but opposing it could anger the Trump administration, which in effect now calls the shots in Venezuela.
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which → fear → Venezuela
The agreement would give the U.S. government majority control over 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil reserves.
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agreement → give → reserves
At a Caracas news conference on Wednesday, Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, said the agreement could bring badly needed foreign investment to the country's ailing oil industry.
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agreement → act → industry
But many Venezuelans view Rodriguez as an illegitimate president.
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Venezuelans → view → president
Until her predecessor, Nicolás Maduro, was captured by the U.S. military in January, she had served as his loyal vice president.
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she → capture → president
Rodriguez fully supported Maduro's repressive tactics, including his stealing of the 2024 presidential election.
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Rodriguez → support → election
Today, her government holds more than 300 political prisoners.
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government → hold → prisoners
Citing such authoritarian behavior, María Corina Machado, Venezuela's main opposition leader, says she has profound concerns about the oil deal.
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she → cite → deal
"Economic development is impossible without solid institutions and a government elected by the people," Machado said in a video posted on social media.
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Machado → elect → media
However, Machado, who wants to be Venezuela's next president, was careful not to criticize the oil agreement itself.
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who → want → agreement
She covets good relations with the Trump administration, which following the removal of Maduro, oversees Venezuela as a vassal state.
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which → covet → state
Nobody really who is aiming for political power has come out against this agreement.
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who → aim → agreement
They all know that doing so would basically mean they have no political possibility in the next coming years under Trump.
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they → know → Trump
In fact, nearly all of the opposition lawmakers in Venezuela's National Assembly voted this week to approve the oil agreement.
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all → vote → agreement
They include Congressman Antonio Ecarri.
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They → include → Ecarri
"I want democracy," he says, "but it will come hand in hand with an economic opening and American capital.
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it → want → opening
But Trump's actions and words make clear he prefers dealing with the compliant Rodriguez rather than a freely elected president who might be more independent.
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who → make → president
Speaking at the White House this week, Trump brushed off calls for elections in Venezuela.
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Trump → speak → Venezuela
I just don't think they're ready yet.
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they → think → ?
You know, it's very new.
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it → know → ?
We took them out of a dictatorship, and we're getting along great with the government.
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we → take → government
Delcy, as you know, is doing a very, very good job, very highly respected.
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you → know → job
Polls say otherwise.
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Polls → say → ?
After Rodriguez botched the response to twin earthquakes in June that killed more than 6,500 people, one survey by AtlasIntel put her job approval rating at just 22%.
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survey → botch → %
Yet the oil agreement should keep her in Trump's good graces, said Venezuelan economist Ricardo Hausmann, who spoke to CNN.
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who → keep → CNN
She gives away the oil, and she gets to stay in power.
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she → give → power
Rodriguez's envoys are holding discussions with the opposition on a democratic transition, but critics claim the acting president is slow-walking the talks and may try to serve out Maduro's term that ends in 2030.
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that → hold → 2030
When pressed by journalists at Wednesday's news conference, Rodriguez said Venezuela will hold presidential elections, but she refused to say when.
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she → press → elections
All rights reserved.
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rights → reserve → ?
Accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts may vary.
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Accuracy → vary → transcripts
Transcript text may be revised to correct errors or match updates to audio.
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text → revise → audio
Audio on npr.org may be edited after its original broadcast or publication.
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Audio → edit → broadcast
The Aporia
