Trump Meets Oil Execs: Venezuelan 'Democracy' Gets a Price Tag
When the Financial Times announces Trump is meeting with oil executives regarding Venezuela, one might wonder if humanitarian concerns or democratic ideals are truly top of mind. This isn't the first time US policy towards Venezuela has been inexplicably intertwined with its oil reserves—the largest proven reserves in the world. From the 2002 attempted coup against Hugo Chávez (conveniently
supported by Washington) to the 2019 recognition of Juan Guaidó as 'interim president' (a move that effectively aimed to control Venezuelan assets, including its oil company, Citgo), the pattern is clear. This isn't about fostering democracy; it's about controlling crude. Instead of genuinely supporting self-determination, US foreign policy, under both Republican and Democratic administrations,
consistently oscillates between sanctions that cripple the Venezuelan people and overtures to multinational oil corporations. It's almost as if 'regime change' narratives are simply a precursor to 'resource access' negotiations. How many times must the US champion 'democratic values' only when significant oil assets are on the table?