A little-known but controversial Venezuelan businessman is emerging as a key figure in a sweeping oil agreement linking the Trump administration and Nicolás Maduro’s government. According to a report from El Tiempo, the deal would hand control of Venezuela’s oil infrastructure to a US-based company he leads, with backing from Washington.
The firm, identified as North American Blue Energy Partners (Nabep), is expected to take over at least 14 of 17 planned oil projects in Venezuela. Those projects are currently operated by Chinese and Russian companies, along with businessmen tied to the inner circle of the late Chavista establishment under Maduro.
What makes the arrangement especially notable is the man behind it: a Venezuelan billionaire who is reportedly under active investigation by judicial authorities in both Spain and Switzerland. Despite this scrutiny, he has managed to position himself—and his company—at the heart of a deal with major strategic and financial stakes.
The numbers involved are staggering. The agreement reportedly contemplates up to $100 billion in investment for oil infrastructure in Venezuela, a country that sits atop reserves exceeding 65 billion barrels of crude, among the largest in the world.
The deal raises pointed questions about who truly benefits from realigning Venezuela’s oil sector under US-linked control, and what role a legally embattled businessman is playing in brokering it. For the full investigative report and further details, read the original article on El Tiempo’s website.
Image: shannonpatrick17, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).