Lall Questions US-Venezuela Oil Deal, Warns of Uncertain Future for Guyana

Social commentator GHK Lall has described the newly announced US-Venezuela oil agreement as a potentially transformative development for the region, while questioning its transparency, the identities of those behind it and how long the arrangement will survive.

In a column published in Village Voice News on September 1, Lall dubbed the agreement “The Donny and Delcy Show,” referring to US President Donald Trump and Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez.

The agreement gives a US-backed private venture rights to develop 17 Venezuelan oil fields containing about 65 billion barrels of proven reserves. The arrangement involves North American Blue Energy Partners (NABEP), controlled by Venezuelan businessman Alejandro Betancourt. The US government is taking a 35% stake in the venture and will have preferential access to oil produced.