The Trump administration’s decision to park $500 million of Venezuelan oil revenue in Qatar raises fundamental questions about the South American nation’s future after the U.S. captured former President Nicolás Maduro.
Among them: When will a transition of power take place, who will ultimately govern Venezuela and who controls the country’s vast resources?
Right now, the administration is collaborating closely with the remnant of the Maduro regime under the leadership of interim President Delcy Rodriguez.
The problem is that the U.S. does not officially recognize the government that Rodriguez is leading. President Donald Trump during his first term recognized the opposition-led National Assembly elected in 2015 as the only legitimate representative of the Venezuelan people.
Trump issued an executive order on Jan. 9 that requires the proceeds from Venezuela’s oil sales to be held in a U.S. Treasury Department account. The president’s order states that the money is the sovereign property of the government of Venezuela held in custody by the U.S.
