U.S. Policy in Venezuela Mirrors Magical Realism, Mixing Aid with Opaque Oil Deals

The article juxtaposes tangible improvements—higher oil production, freed political detainees, and rapid disaster relief—with persistent hardships such as soaring inflation, inadequate wages, and failing public services. It criticizes the U.S. for granting diplomatic immunity to Delcy Rodriguez, allowing her to evade a $314 million judgment, and for permitting a Republican lobbying firm to establish a Caracas office ahead of any democratic vote.

The author observes that former National Security Council director Benjamin Gedan sees Secretary of State Marco Rubio negotiating with the opposition while President Donald Trump provides legal support to the interim government. Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who enjoys overwhelming public trust, is repeatedly excluded from talks. Meanwhile, over $13 billion in Venezuelan oil revenues have been collected with minimal public accounting, and overdue KPMG audits fuel calls for greater transparency. The analysis concludes that economic stabilization is occurring, but genuine democratic transition remains uncertain.