r/worldnews • u/Raj_Valiant3011 • 16h ago
Venezuela The Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has questioned Donald Trump’s oil deal with Venezuela’s interim government, saying the country’s natural resources do not belong to “an illegitimate regime” and has no right to strike deal with US
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/03/venezuelan-opposition-leader-questions-us-oil-deal-with-illegitimate-regime?CMP=share_btn_url1.4k
u/GoForthandProsper1 16h ago
She really thought giving him that Nobel Peace prize medal bought her the Presidency
Silly, naive Woman
193
u/bloop7676 11h ago
A lot of people were really trying to push that the whole Venezuela thing was good because the US was doing this for the democratic opposition and they'd help Maria in exchange for the flattery. They thought similar things for the Iran protesters too. It never happens.
A lot of people think Trump acts at random or does nothing, but that's not really how it works. You can pretty much take it as a rule that if it's something constructive or helpful he'll never do it, and if it's going to be destructive he always will.
89
u/ABadHistorian 9h ago
It's not about constructive or destructive.
It's about how much you can or are willing to pay him.
This dude ripped off his casino contractors for years, it's all about money for him and always has been, always will be.
Why is anyone surprised? Every liberal who talks about Hitler gives him cover. Call him Capone instead. He's a crime boss, out for money.
6
5
u/RarelyReadReplies 3h ago
Putin would probably be more accurate too. I mean, Trump is turning America into a kleptocracy/oligarchy.
6
u/CajunKush 7h ago
It’s a proxy war with China. Over 20% of China’s oil imports came through Iran and Venezuela in 2025
5
u/Phantomsurfr 4h ago
Goddammit! I swear if you guys rip on me 13 or 14 more times... I'm outta here!
11
u/TurbulentRadish8113 7h ago
The people who said this:
the whole Venezuela thing was good because the US was doing this for the democratic opposition
Have they changed their mind yet? Or do they still support Republicans.
267
u/FlashDangerpants 15h ago
It was the only thing she had to give. Which is why she lost to somebody who could hand over unproductive oil fields instead.
78
u/Ok-Currency1593 15h ago
trump is all about hat benefits him the most
he has no moral compass or belief in democracy, he will support any dictator who offers him something he wants even if it results in the oppression of millions. That's why Trump has always been so keen to be friends with Putin, because he sees a lot of value for himself in that relationship
45
u/ABadHistorian 9h ago
She didn't have to give anything. She sold her values for a chance for proximity to power, to gain power.
That right there told me right away she didn't deserve anything if she was willing to beg Trump to get it. All she showed Venezuela is why they are screwed. People on both sides just want power first.
23
47
u/Canadian-Man-infj 14h ago
WOW! I had to do a double take, I forgot that it was her that gave Trump his bigly renowned, second-hand, used, Nobel Peace Prize!
This is a bit of a 180!
12
u/TheDevil-YouKnow 9h ago
Not for the victims of a Ponzi scheme, and that's basically every single moron that thinks they end up with some mutual contract of benefit from that fucking cretin.
Dealing with jackasses like him, it's like a drug deal. I'll give you the money, you hand me the dope, and that's as far as the trust goes. So for some, he'll work to their benefit.
But MOST of these jackasses are the ones that go to the dope man, and they say hey man I'll give you $100 to pick it up for me and drop it off to me tomorrow.
And guess how that goes?
24
56
u/Certain_Eye7374 13h ago edited 9h ago
She is not naive, she's an opportunist. People like her would gladly sell the entire country's future if it can give her the power and position she wanted.
39
u/TotalNonsense0 11h ago
I think the naivety is in expecting Trump to stay bought.
3
u/CombatMuffin 11h ago
You are assuming she expected that. Politicians aren't new to backstabbing and backpedaling. It's an inherent part of politics.
She probably knew what Trump is, but the alternative for her position was likely worse.
And I say this while I am also not particularly a fan of hers in any capacity.
The real naivety is people thinking the real dealing didn't happen behind closed doors and this is just posturing.
6
u/CatProgrammer 9h ago
I expected this exact scenario . Why didn't she?
1
u/CombatMuffin 8h ago
You misunderstood my meaning )or perhaps I didn't express it clear enough): she knew Trump wouldn't stay bought or take a symbolic gesture as enough payment for his full support.
When you are up against the ropes, there aren't always ideal scenarios. Trump has already disposed of two useful politicians for Venezuela: not because they were naive but because they were desperate and the difference in leverage is enormous
1
u/Jeffuk88 4h ago
Its baffling how the world keeps thinking trump will suddenly be swayable. Hes shown consistently that he only cares about his ego and will backstab his own mother if it gets his name on a landmark
-5
-56
u/Willinton06 15h ago
It's called trying, I ask you, would you suck a mad kings toes for a *chance* at saving 30 million people?
21
u/APRengar 15h ago
Real "Trump says has a secret plan to the the Ukraine Russia war on day 1. Kamala doesn't. It's actually really irresponsible to not elect Trump if you care about Ukraine" energy.
-23
u/Willinton06 15h ago
But she was very public about her plan to fix things, did you ever read on the topic?
13
u/Neilandio 15h ago
How naive are you to believe politicians are acting out of the good of their heart? She was a power hungry woman beaten in the power game by an even more power hungry woman.
-2
u/Willinton06 15h ago
How do you know any of this? Have you like, read on her? Are you even able to speak Spanish?
26
u/Interesting-Dream863 15h ago
She had zero chance of turning the country around.
She was either a puppet or nothing.
And she wasn't a viable puppet
→ More replies (7)10
u/Hspryd 14h ago
You’d think hard how you could get politically annihilated by a bad deal made from face-eating leopards. It’s not that hard to resist being completely naive because you’re getting handed what seems like power and consideration.
So no you don’t go « hey sucking the king’s toe is the best idea to get what I want. And he’ll totally not f*** me over because I don’t have any more leverage »
This idea could maybe have better grounds if the king you’re dealing with is known for honoring his deals to a T. It’s absolutely not the case here.
So you’re get used like a tool, and now the tool is seemingly activating her 2 brain cells because she’s not seeing improvement in her part of the negociation.-12
u/Willinton06 14h ago
A king with honor doesn’t ask for his toes to be sucked, the idea here was to use the mad king to remove the old dictator so we could improve things with new leadership, 2 thirds worked, we did improve things and we did remove the old dictator, but no new leadership, worth sucking toes
But you speak like someone who doesn’t value its own people enough or someone who has not known true crisis, so you don’t see sucking toes as a worthy endeavor cause your people are “good enough”
I would suck a lot more than toes to help 30 million people but that’s just me I guess
13
u/Hspryd 14h ago
No bro, these are complex geopolitics we’re talking about. I think you’re missing some symbolism in public humiliation and subservience avowal that any citizen or representative with their country and people at heart should recognize when negociating at this level for a better, healthier situation, for all their population.
Diving tongue first thinking you made a great deal is the epitomy of getting played out in these type of cunning political games and bargains.
1
u/Willinton06 13h ago
No one thought it was a great deal, it was a possible deal, and again, 66% of it worked, I think it was worth it, maduro is out, the new dictator is not as bad, that’s a material improvement for giving away a random trophy
5
u/Simbakim 12h ago
I don’t know, Trump and his minions will drain Venezuela for everything of value without giving anything back. Does it really still exist? How will they get out of that situation?
1
u/OutrageousSet7928 10h ago
Simple, if the U.S. Government changes, renege ('unlawfully forced upon us') or renegotiate. I doubt a new Democratic U.S. government would stomach more wars of agression, especially while cleaning up all the other broken pieces in/outside.
On the other hand, if republicans stay in power, they might have/will rob Venezuela (more) anyway. This political maneuvering was less giving up freedom, and more about giving permission(pretext) at gun point. The robbing would continue, regardless of efforts to appease or resist.
1
u/Willinton06 9h ago
Venezuela was already being drained for everything of value by the dictator, do you think the people of Venezuela care of a different entity takes it instead of the president? They want improvement at whatever cost
1
u/Simbakim 8h ago
Ofc they want improvement, but they wont get that now. Their country has just been sold to the highest bidders.
1
u/Willinton06 7h ago
They already got improvements, all the political prisoners were released after maduro was taken
2
2
u/Itachi_Uchiha_2020 11h ago
Get out of that bubble
0
u/Willinton06 9h ago
The bubble of material change in Venezuela?
2
287
u/touriste 16h ago
didn't she give him her nobel medal?
121
u/Excellent-Pipe7308 15h ago
She was trying to charm him because that's all she could do.
29
0
u/N0_Goldsun 6h ago
I mean they straight up yoinked Maduro using Sonic weapons that made his security puke blood, I feel like she had to.
122
u/dabbean 15h ago
Too bad she doesn't have a second Nobel prize to bribe him with.
•
u/ThatsCaptain2U 1h ago
Too bad she’s not strapping young lad with muscles and good looks… that would really charm him
135
u/PositiveUse 15h ago
She didn’t complain that US did it but Venezuelas current regime. She’s pissed that she was not the one who was able to give trump his barrels …
57
u/Interesting-Dream863 15h ago
Turns out el Donaldo isn't the saviour they thought...
Venezuela is truly a sad place. They can't catch a break.
7
29
u/macross1984 15h ago
Oh, c'mon. Trump love to stab his friends as much as his foes.
7
1
23
u/ThaNotoriousBLT 13h ago
How dare the Nobel Peace Prize winner try to tell the Fifa Peace Prize winner what to do
14
u/No-Neighborhood-3212 15h ago
If only there were some way to know that the guy who said we should help Iran and Iraq to take their oil was helping you to take your oil!
59
u/bloody_fart88 15h ago
Ah pero los pendejitos estaban celebrando, andele, disfruten las consecuencias de su sumisión. Imbéciles.
5
u/IranianLawyer 6h ago
Consequences? They’re in the same position as before. It’s not like they’re worse off.
-15
u/Willinton06 15h ago
A mi padre lo sacaron de la carcel gracias a el secuestro de maduro, valio la pena, que alternativa hay? Seguir con el regimen? Prefiero la USA controlando que Maduro, USA tiene elecciones, el siguiente presidente puede ser mejor, Maduro no cambia nunca
31
u/Mindless-Nothing-543 15h ago
USA tiene elecciones
😂😂 Les van a dejar a Delcy y a Diosdado hasta que se mueran.
-16
u/Willinton06 15h ago
Sigue siendo mejor que Maduro y Diosdado
10
u/Mindless-Nothing-543 14h ago
¿Delcy y Diosdado siguen siendo mejor que Maduro y Diosdado?
O sos un bot o comprensión lectora a Marzo.
1
u/Willinton06 14h ago
Maduro tenía a mi padre como preso político, con Delcy salió por que USA lo exigió, así que si, delcy y diosdado es mejor que maduro y diosdado
2
u/Special_Tu-gram-cho 7h ago
Viejo, si solo se llevan a Maduro, pero dejan al resto del cuerpo chavista en el estado...como puede ser mejor? No te dejes engatusar. No tienes que deberle nada a los americanos.
2
4
-40
u/Ok-Lingonberry7143 15h ago edited 14h ago
You understand that under the terms of the deal US oil companies pay for the oil right through investment? We essentially just get first right to buy.
In exchange they get billions in funding to rebuild an industry they have zero means to fix on their own and the US now has a vested interest in ensuring stability there.
I swear all you people just read the headlines and nothing else. You probably couldn’t find Venezuela on a map until this year.
I can’t believe the silly Venezuelans aren’t listening to your expert advice on their situation
17
u/IZ3820 15h ago
That's not at all what's been announced, and actually runs against the few details we know. The US will have an ownership stake but majority control will be retained by a Venezuelan businessman. The last time this happened, Venezuela wound up nationalizing the oil fields.
Please offer a source for these terms, because major outlets weren't reporting them as recently as yesterday.
-19
u/Ok-Lingonberry7143 15h ago edited 15h ago
You can argue over how fair or not fair the exact terms of the deal are but saying the US is stealing a bunch of oil for free is misinformation.
“NABEP has granted the U.S. Department of State the right to purchase, at production cost, a guaranteed 20% of the off-take from all current and future fields NABEP will operate—ensuring a stable supply of low-cost oil that can facilitate refilling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), which Joe Biden depleted to historic lows, and to provide supply for military and other sensitive uses.
NABEP has also granted the U.S. Department of State the right of first refusal to purchase the remaining 80% of its production, providing a guaranteed source of energy in our hemisphere in emergency situations”Literally all public information if you and anyone else complaining here took 2 seconds to look.
16
u/IZ3820 15h ago edited 14h ago
which would leave some $19 in Venezuela's hands from each barrel produced.
How much is a barrel of oil again?
Smells like extortion to me.
Also, you can't take anything the White House says as fact.
→ More replies (8)-11
u/Ok-Lingonberry7143 14h ago
Did you not see the billions of dollars in investment to rebuild the industry that’s like 80% of their GDP part?
Such a shallow take lol. We can all be thankful you aren’t in a position of power.
9
u/IZ3820 14h ago
And I'm certain they're glad for the investment, up through the moment they nationalize it again because we're extorting them at gunpoint.
Doomed to repeat history when you ignore it like you do.
-4
u/Ok-Lingonberry7143 14h ago
Are you worried for the welfare of US oil companies?
9
u/TranslatorTough8977 14h ago
I hope this turns into a boondoggle for the US companies who bribed Trump into doing everything he has to raise oil prices.
-3
u/Ok-Lingonberry7143 14h ago
Shouldn’t you want prosperity for Venezuelans that have been suffering and starving under a dictatorship for the last 20 years?
You ultra political people are so weird
→ More replies (0)7
u/TranslatorTough8977 14h ago
Even when foreign investment is involved, a nation gets royalties from every barrel produced. I don’t see that here.
5
4
5
u/DowntownScene1433 10h ago
You mean the one who gave Trump her Nobel prize happily and was in discussions of talking up country leadership in a, I'll say "dubious" arrangement with Trump before he found out he could also do his bidding with the current regime? so we;re talking which one is making the calls and signs the treaties and gets the salary of country leader and whatever perks these deals involve?
Fooled me there for a second, though it was someone else.
19
11
u/Sad-Excitement9295 15h ago
Where to go with this?
Cuba going to nationalize again?
Trump going to "invade" again?
She really expected things to be different?
Trump really though Vz was just gonna let us steal their oil to "fix" our economy and his poll numbers?
All I can say is this is wild, and entirely foreseen.
9
u/ABadHistorian 9h ago
Bet she wants that nobel peace prize back.
Unfortunately she's just as grasping as the next person, willing to sell out her beliefs for power.
In her case it just didn't work. Good luck Venezeuala, if she's the leader of your opposition... you are up shit creek without a paddle.
3
5
u/orcofmordor 11h ago
Sounds like she became disappointed pretty quick after giving you know who her Peace Prize lol …
5
u/ThatsItImOverThis 10h ago
Finally figured out that giving into Trump wasn’t going to win her anything.
3
u/Florida1718 7h ago
Paying my tinny violin. Machado just wanted to broker the deal herself but got cut out.
3
u/ZebraComplex4353 4h ago
You handed the guy your Nobel. You stop being relevant the moment you did that. Ridiculous
•
u/Badas_ingood_9898 1h ago
Is this the one who gave her Peace Prize to Trump to try and get him to support her…
7
u/supersirj 11h ago
“The wealth of our subsoil does not belong to an illegitimate regime – it belongs to the Venezuelan people,” she said...
Sounds like socialism. I thought Machado was against socialism... 🤔
-2
u/FuryAdcom 4h ago
She never was. Venezuelan politics are all left or centrist left leaning, favoring socialism. The regime is autocratic spewing that they are socialists.
Venezuela literally has no options to choose, we are in a position were there's just nothing good. Socialism has scarred us, hearing the word "socialism" triggers PTSD in the majority, which is why if you speak to a venezuelan you almost always will find them completely opposing communism and socialism in any way, shape or form. No matter if the intentions are good and they are in a different country, they will always see those as country-ruining, because they have an example and have lived through this.
9
u/emamayxo 16h ago
Does anyone here still like trump after everything’s he’s done 😭
-15
u/DowntownScene1433 10h ago
Not really, but Byden was c...p too and so was Harris. It was a very difficult election of choosing between incompetence. I think everything would be seen as a mistaken choice. People thought he was the less of two evils. We underestimated how evil, evil could really get. The American people deserve better for the next election. Rubio for Republicans. Newsom and Cortez for Democrats.
13
u/Mycosynth 10h ago
I'm sorry but that is complete bullshit, it was not a difficult election. You had a choice between a bog standard establishment Democrat and one of the (if not THE) worst people to ever sit in the Oval Office, and America chose that guy. The American people deserve what they get.
-1
u/Far-Advantage-2770 7h ago
Honestly it looks like Venuzuelans are going to suffer everything that Americans deserve.
9
u/AmbienWalrus69 10h ago
Yeah... I don't think anyone is soliciting both-sides-bad political commentary from someone who is afraid to say "crap" on the internet.
2
6
2
2
2
2
u/nelly2929 8h ago
Oh yes this will end well in a few years after US companies have spent a few billion to get things working down there…. lol stupid Americans
2
u/According_Hand6941 5h ago
saw this coming from a mile away. we chose a weak country who can’t fight back, we pirate their oil like literal pirates , donnie takes his cut, all under the guise of spreading democracy! to give them credit, from a propaganda standpoint, it was genius. it even won over Venezuelans to the right. which is insane to me. we are just pirating a country with no repercussions
2
4
u/mmoore327 15h ago
I think everyone knows they will renationalize everything at some point - only a question of time.
2
1
1
1
u/hamtronn 14h ago
Wait. So, you can’t just stake a claim to anything by kidnapping a sitting president and then just announcing a few months later that you’ve got a deal? Whaaaaat?! No. Are you also suggesting that this regime has been breaking the law with almost every action they take every single day?
Colour me shocked. Utterly. Shocked. /s
1
1
1
1
u/Special_Tu-gram-cho 7h ago
She would wait for her turn to be useful in case Good old donald nees her.
1
u/Far-Advantage-2770 7h ago
Wait, hold up. I thought Venuzuela's resources were a gift to the American people, because they are so grateful? Don't tell me there will be consequences down the line for the Democrats to clean up? I just wanted cheap oil for my SUV?
1
u/krichuvisz 4h ago
This was the trick in the first place. Keep the the Bolivar government in place to concentrate all the hate of the people. Even those who are sick of the US. Next step install US puppet who will praise the USA as soon she is the new 'democratically' elected president.
1
u/Hour-Equivalent-2518 3h ago
Typical theatrics of somebody in the opposition. just wait till Machado gets the seat, she'll sign the same deal and sell out her country
1
1
u/Various_Mud_4578 1h ago
You have to be a stupid cunt to trust the US/trump regime not to do this sort of thing.
1
u/Deep_Satisfaction556 13h ago
Venezuela's next 25 years are going to be a lot like their last 25 years..... Grim for everyone but a few select families.
0
u/Flimsy_Custard4342 15h ago edited 15h ago
Amazing the government and people from the country who have attempted to destroy your legitimate government don’t care about your countries resources. The people of Iran are waking up to that as well. Americans and their president don’t care. If ordinary Americans did care they could through a coup to remove trump in a moment but they don’t. Literally 81 million Biden voters could protest Trump and there is none at all.
-3
u/ElMatasiete7 12h ago
People complaining about this lady giving Trump her medal when it's exactly what a disinterested person would do to leverage support from a global superpower in exchange for something relatively trivial, especially when they're actually fighting for change within their country. I can't believe we have yet to remind people Maduro is still a dictator that stole an election.
At worst she just assumed Trump would have a modicum of integrity, which was her biggest mistake.
2
u/Gatamine10 9h ago
Or the world assuming the Peace Prize winner having a bit of integrity herself and not kissing a different dictator's ass. This is not convincing people that she is against authoritarianism
-2
u/ElMatasiete7 8h ago
The equation as a leader of the third world is either keep your standards and effect zero change, or kiss ass in the easiest way possible in the hopes that you get some assistance to your cause. It can admittedly backfire, as it did, but she loses little because she's gained nothing by not doing it. I don't know why that is so hard to picture.
You people would have been against the Red Army invading Berlin.
1
u/Rolanbek 4h ago
At worst she just assumed Trump would have a modicum of integrity, which was her biggest mistake.
It shows that she as not been paying attention. The Tangerine Tyrant has never paid his debts.
1
-3
u/Hspryd 14h ago
To be fair. I think she shat the bed massively.
And saying that now she’s out of getting handed the presidency of her country kind of shows she never had truthful principles to begin with.
The situation was obvious at the time, almost similar to what it is now. And she, she like bent her knees backwards dogg.
But she’ll probably make a great expat. With a great story to tell… « member when I was peace prize recipient and I did the inverse of what I should have done while my country was in crisis ».
Maduro is not a good guy, but the situation was more complex than just having country’s leader head roll.
6
u/ElMatasiete7 12h ago
What should she have done??? Please explain.
3
u/Tynarius 12h ago
Its clear that if she didn't give trump the nobel prize the situation would be much different right now! /s
0
u/CatProgrammer 9h ago
Networked with and appealed to people who don't simply want to exploit Venezuela for profit?
2
u/ElMatasiete7 8h ago
Her knowing what Trump would have done was a gamble. She gambled. But NO ONE could have predicted that he would just continue working with the existing government.
She's been networking and appealing to the ENTIRE WORLD, and no one notices. But the moment she asskisses an asshole because he so happens to be a very powerful asshole, with direct relevance to the state of the country, it's suddenly "oh fuck her". Some Americans really do view themselves as the center of the world huh.
0
u/CatProgrammer 8h ago
I didn't predict that, certainly, but I also had no expectation of him ever reciprocating her "goodwill" without any additional benefit to himself. Given the current administration, if the US had gone full regime change she still would not have been placed into power without basically being a Trump puppet.
0
u/Rolanbek 3h ago
But NO ONE could have predicted that he would just continue working with the existing government.
Erm... Sorry to be the one to tell you. Pretty much everyone knew that was going to happen.
•
u/AutoModerator 16h ago
Users often report submissions from this site for sensationalized articles. Readers have a responsibility to be skeptical, check sources, and comment on any flaws.
You can help improve this thread by linking to media that verifies or questions this article's claims. Your link could help readers better understand this issue.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.