The White House released details that North American Blue Energy Partners received 100-year concessions to develop 17 oil fields holding about 65 billion barrels of proven crude reserves in Venezuela. ^[1] US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in an interview with journalist Sergio Novelli that he participated directly in negotiations of the oil agreement between Washington and Venezuela, and that the deal is part of a broader strategy to recover Venezuela's energy industry and create conditions for a future democratic transition. ^[2] Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State, stated that the ultimate goal of Washington's policy toward Venezuela is the restoration of a republic governed by a democratically elected executive. ^[3] Reuters reported that some oil companies have expressed reservations about potential investments under the conditions of the agreement, which has also drawn questions from analysts over its structure, Betancourt's role, and lack of a competitive selection process. ^[4] Rubio said the oil agreement is not directly with Venezuela's interim government but with a private company, North American Blue Energy Partners (NABEP), and that Washington hopes it will create a model for other investments in Venezuela's energy sector. ^[5] Marco Rubio stated that immediate economic reconstruction, including infrastructure repair and disaster response following recent earthquakes, must precede any electoral transition to ensure stability. ^[6] The consulting firm KPMG will audit all oil revenues to fund disaster relief and social priorities in Venezuela. ^[7] Marco Rubio confirmed that no criminal investigations are currently pending against Alejandro Betancourt in the US justice system. ^[8]