Venezuela's vice president accuses ExxonMobil of meddling, lobbying
2 Min Read
The Venezuelan official stated that the document, titled "Sanctions on Venezuela’s Oil: Less Money Means Less Power," was crafted to influence US government authorities with the goal of enabling regime change in Venezuela.
-
An ExxonMobil fuel storage and distribution facility in Irving, Texas, Wednesday, January 25, 2023 (AP)
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez has presented a document alleging that ExxonMobil is pressuring oil license holders in Venezuela while also funding lobbying efforts to push Chevron out of the country.
Rodriguez revealed that the document was authored by Juan Zarate, Davis Scott, and Peter Williams, emphasizing that Zarate is known as the "architect of sanctions." A Harvard graduate and former US Treasury official, Zarate has been involved in political lobbying circles in the United States.
Similarly, Williams, who serves as ExxonMobil’s Senior Vice President for Global Operations, was previously a defense contractor for Lockheed Martin. Scott, meanwhile, is the Director of Enterprise Services at Northrop Grumman, a military contractor, and a former officer in the US Air Force and Navy.
Rodriguez also pointed out that Northrop Grumman has funded political campaigns for US politicians such as Marco Rubio, Mario Jimenez, Mario Diaz-Balart, and Michael Wolff.
The Venezuelan official stated that the document, titled "Sanctions on Venezuela’s Oil: Less Money Means Less Power," was crafted to influence US government authorities with the goal of enabling regime change in Venezuela.
"What is most shocking is that the document encourages more migration, because it creates real political despair among the Venezuelan people who are forced to cross borders due to the economic blockade and sanctions," Rodriguez said.
She accused members of the Venezuelan opposition—Maria Corina Machado, Leopoldo López, Juan Guaidó, and Carlos Vecchio—of demanding "illegal and criminal" sanctions. Rodriguez argued that they should be classified as a transnational criminal organization responsible for stealing Venezuelan assets and causing immense damage through the blockade.
Rodriguez further warned that the document calls for increased internal political pressure, linking it to the 2018 assassination attempt against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
"If anything happens to any Venezuelan official, we will hold ExxonMobil directly responsible," she stated.
