The Trump administration announced a major oil deal with Venezuela on Friday that purportedly gives the United States rights to 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil, representing 20 percent of the country's oil reserves. ^[1] Aldo Civico argues that US opposition leader María Corina Machado should demonstrate independence from Washington and recover her political autonomy. ^[2] The business partner selected for the joint oil venture is a company headed by Alejandro Betancourt, who is under investigation for money laundering in Switzerland and was found by Transparencia Venezuela in 2018 to have overbilled the Venezuelan government by $2.9 billion. ^[3] The negotiation was conducted in secret, and Reuters reports that the agreement did not pass through a competitive process, with no written agreement or contract made public. ^[4] The Wall Street Journal reports that the joint oil venture created by the deal would be the world's second-largest corporate holder of proven reserves after Saudi Aramco. ^[5] A recent agreement announced by the United States grants private companies majority control and operation of 17 strategic oil fields in Venezuela. ^[6] President Trump revealed the US intentions to secure oil resources and praised Delcy Rodríguez while dismissing María Corina Machado. ^[7] The US-Venezuela pact ensures American access to 65 billion barrels of proven oil reserves. ^[8]