2 months ago
By Sarah Kinosian, Marianna Parraga and Gram Slattery
CARACAS/MIAMI, Sept 5 (Reuters) - The billionaire who helped broker the Trump administration's sweeping long-term oil deal with Venezuela was until recently a target of U.S. money-laundering investigations involving funds embezzled from the state-owned oil company PDVSA. Now, after **** isting U.S. authorities ahead of the capture of authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro, Alejandro Betancourt is Washington's key partner in an unusual oil agreement with Caracas.
According to last week's announcement, the U.S. gains access to about one-fifth of Venezuela's crude reserves for decades. The Pentagon's Office of Strategic Capital takes a 35% stake in North American Blue Energy Partners (NABEP), Betancourt's company and a known crude producer in Venezuela. The State Department gets the right to buy 20% of NABEP's oil at cost, and preferential access to the remaining 80% of output.
The deal marks a striking change of fortune for Betancourt, who four people familiar with U.S. policy in Venezuela said was key to U.S. strategy and planning in the lead-up to the January 3 operation that removed former President Maduro from power and flew him to New York to face charges of drug-trafficking, which Maduro denies.
Asked about the investigations of Betancourt, a U.S. official who declined to be named said most of the legal challenges were nearly a decade old — and that he currently has no legal problems in the United States. NABEP's record of pumping oil in Venezuela made Betancourt the best partner to help boost output under the arrangement, the official said.
#venezuela #deal #partner
CARACAS/MIAMI, Sept 5 (Reuters) - The billionaire who helped broker the Trump administration's sweeping long-term oil deal with Venezuela was until recently a target of U.S. money-laundering investigations involving funds embezzled from the state-owned oil company PDVSA. Now, after **** isting U.S. authorities ahead of the capture of authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro, Alejandro Betancourt is Washington's key partner in an unusual oil agreement with Caracas.
According to last week's announcement, the U.S. gains access to about one-fifth of Venezuela's crude reserves for decades. The Pentagon's Office of Strategic Capital takes a 35% stake in North American Blue Energy Partners (NABEP), Betancourt's company and a known crude producer in Venezuela. The State Department gets the right to buy 20% of NABEP's oil at cost, and preferential access to the remaining 80% of output.
The deal marks a striking change of fortune for Betancourt, who four people familiar with U.S. policy in Venezuela said was key to U.S. strategy and planning in the lead-up to the January 3 operation that removed former President Maduro from power and flew him to New York to face charges of drug-trafficking, which Maduro denies.
Asked about the investigations of Betancourt, a U.S. official who declined to be named said most of the legal challenges were nearly a decade old — and that he currently has no legal problems in the United States. NABEP's record of pumping oil in Venezuela made Betancourt the best partner to help boost output under the arrangement, the official said.
#venezuela #deal #partner
2 months ago
By Marianna Parraga and Deisy Buitrago
HOUSTON/CARACAS, Aug 31 (Reuters) - U.S. companies Chevron and GE Vernova, India's ONGC, Italy's Eni and Colombia's GeoPark are on track to sign final agreements in Venezuela after months of negotiations to firm up energy projects in the OPEC country, five sources close to the preparations said.
Most of the pacts imply completion of a six-month migration of oil contracts to an amended hydrocarbon law now giving more flexibility to foreign firms to expand and operate oilfields, export the barrels and cash sale proceeds, the sources said. Others set terms for new energy and electricity projects.
The list of companies lining up to sign has not been finalized as executives are rushing to complete negotiations at the last minute, two of the sources said.
Chevron's agreements with Venezuela are expected to be "of significant size," according to one of the sources.
#venezuela #marianna
HOUSTON/CARACAS, Aug 31 (Reuters) - U.S. companies Chevron and GE Vernova, India's ONGC, Italy's Eni and Colombia's GeoPark are on track to sign final agreements in Venezuela after months of negotiations to firm up energy projects in the OPEC country, five sources close to the preparations said.
Most of the pacts imply completion of a six-month migration of oil contracts to an amended hydrocarbon law now giving more flexibility to foreign firms to expand and operate oilfields, export the barrels and cash sale proceeds, the sources said. Others set terms for new energy and electricity projects.
The list of companies lining up to sign has not been finalized as executives are rushing to complete negotiations at the last minute, two of the sources said.
Chevron's agreements with Venezuela are expected to be "of significant size," according to one of the sources.
#venezuela #marianna
1 yr. ago
Prager Metis would like to congratulate Marianna Mooney, CPA, Managing Partner - Woodbury, NY Office, on her recognition in the Long Island Business News: Influencers in Accounting 2025! This prestigious group of professionals was selected…
