María Corina Machado Rejects US-Venezuela Oil Agreement as Illegitimate

Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel peace prize winner María Corina Machado has criticized a massive oil agreement reached between Donald Trump and Venezuela's interim government, arguing that the current leadership in Caracas lacks the democratic mandate to negotiate national natural resources.

Machado's statements mark her first public reaction since Trump announced what he termed the largest oil deal in history. The bilateral pact involves more than 65 billion barrels of crude oil from Venezuela's estimated 303 billion barrels of proven reserves, which represent the largest in the world.

QUESTIONS OVER LEGITIMACY AND MANDATE

In a video published on social media, Machado reaffirmed her support for strong economic ties, identifying the United States as the essential partner required to develop Venezuela's strategic potential. However, she contested the authority of the current authorities occupying the Miraflores presidential palace, describing them as enemies of the U.S. who lack democratic standing.

Machado asserted that the wealth of Venezuela's subsoil belongs directly to its citizens rather than an illegitimate regime. She added that her supporters experienced sadness and anger after being excluded from the negotiation process.

U.S. POLICY AND ELECTORAL TIMELINE

The oil arrangement was forged with interim president Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed power in January after U.S. special forces abducted her predecessor, Nicolás Maduro. Although Machado's movement is widely believed to have won Venezuela's 2024 presidential election before Maduro refused to yield power, Washington opted to back Rodríguez.

According to the White House, the agreement is designed to establish U.S. energy dominance and eliminate foreign malign influence, specifically targeting China and Russia. Speaking outside Miraflores on Wednesday, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated the goal of the mission is to grow production and foster economic prosperity across Venezuela.

Despite criticism from observers who characterize the agreement as predatory, both Trump and Rodríguez dismissed calls for immediate democratic elections. Trump remarked that the country was not yet ready for a vote following years of dictatorship, while Rodríguez confirmed elections would proceed only when Venezuela is prepared.