9. United States Secures Historic Venezuelan Petroleum - SAMUEL BEN-UR VENEZUELA 091426

CAPTION   1895 VENEZUELAUnited States Secures Historic Venezuelan PetroleumSamuel Ben-Ur provides updates on Venezuela's political transition and energy sector, detailing a massive 25-year oil agreement executed with interim president Delcy Rodríguez. The deal involves North American companies redeveloping 17 oil fields containing 65 billion barrels of proved reserves, redirecting petroleum exports exclusively to the United States away from China and Russia. Ben-Ur notes that major firms like Chevron will lead a hundred-billion-dollar infrastructure revitalization effort. However, he emphasizes that no firm election date has been established, leaving the political timetable for returning to democratic governance uncertain. (9)