White House details oil deal: Alejandro Betancourt's NABEP, 17 fields for 100 years and a 35% Pentagon stake

According to NPR, the White House said NABEP, owned by Venezuelan businessman Alejandro Betancourt, will hold 100-year rights to 17 fields with 65 billion barrels of proven reserves. The Pentagon's Office of Strategic Capital will own 35% of the company and the U.S. may buy 20% of output. Senator Jack Reed called it an abuse of power.

On VTV, a guest praised the deal, and acting president Delcy Rodríguez estimated revenue of more than $209 billion, the channel said. Mario Silva called it a humiliation before the U.S. On Vladimir Villegas's show, Humberto Calderón Berti proposed putting the deal to a referendum; Patricia Poleo criticized Betancourt's role.

«We are the most oil-rich country in the world, yes, but now we have to be the world's biggest oil exporter.»— VTV guest, September 1, 2026 · watch

«Not even Gómez gave himself up so much, humiliated himself so much and knelt so much before the United States.»— Mario Silva, September 1, 2026 · watch