State TV hails US oil deal as diplomatic win; letter read by Mario Silva calls it a betrayal

A day after Donald Trump's announcement, Diosdado Cabello's program aired a message from acting president Delcy Rodríguez, who thanked Trump and Marco Rubio and said Venezuela chose "the path of diplomacy" with the United States. State broadcaster VTV presented the deal as the start of an era of investment and prosperity.

On another program, Mario Silva read an open letter that called the pact an "oil betrayal" and warned it commits the country's reserves without national debate.

«That is why we chose the path of diplomacy with the United States of America, to turn our differences into cooperation, and that cooperation into investment, production, well-being, concrete results for Venezuelans.»— Delcy Rodríguez, August 30, 2026 · watch

«It is the greatest oil betrayal committed against the Republic since Venezuela has existed as a country.»— Open letter (read by Mario Silva), August 29, 2026 · watch