Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado expressed concern Thursday over the energy agreement announced between the United States and the government of Delcy Rodríguez, saying key questions remain about its scope, guarantees and potential benefits for Venezuelans.
In a message addressed to the country, Machado said the announcement had generated “sadness, anger” and concern among parts of the population because, in her view, fundamental details about the agreement remain unclear, including who signed it, its specific terms, who will provide the financing and guarantees, and how Venezuelans will benefit.
“We still do not know the true scope of this agreement, who is signing it, what is actually being signed, who is putting up the money, who is providing the guarantees, or how this benefits Venezuelans,” Machado said.
She argued that Venezuela’s oil industry represents only one part of the broader economic and institutional reconstruction the country needs and said attracting investment requires conditions that go beyond access to capital.
Among those conditions, Machado cited legal certainty, infrastructure, sufficient electricity capacity, operational ports, and guarantees for investors and citizens.
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“The wealth beneath our soil does not belong to an illegitimate regime; it belongs to the Venezuelan people,” she said, while recognizing the United States as a strategic partner for developing Venezuela’s energy potential.
Machado said an energy partnership between the two countries should be based on mutual benefit, transparent rules and conditions that reduce risks for long-term investments.
She also argued that any investment framework should be based on transparency, legality, efficiency and institutional stability, which she said can only be fully guaranteed through a democratic government.
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Machado recalled that during CERAWeek in Houston, she presented a five-point proposal for Venezuela’s energy sector: a transparent legal framework, an independent institution to regulate hydrocarbons, open and public bidding processes, a competitive and stable tax regime, and guarantees of legal certainty and international arbitration.
According to Machado, such a model would help attract large-scale investment while creating conditions to develop other sectors, including education, technology, infrastructure, public safety and public services.
She also said revenues generated from the country’s energy resources should translate into concrete improvements for Venezuelans, including greater access to medicine, electricity, water and education.
“Venezuela is worth much more than its oil. The true value of Venezuela is its people,” Machado said.
Machado concluded by reiterating that Venezuela’s recovery must be accompanied by strong institutions, democratic legitimacy and respect for popular sovereignty, which she considers essential guarantees for any large-scale investment.
