María Corina Machado lashes out at Alejandro Betancourt, the US oil partner: She accuses him of 'obscene corruption' and of leaving the country in the dark

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado addressed the state of her country's oil sector during an interview with the New York Times in Panama, in which she questioned businessman Alejandro Betancourt's track record and his role in managing energy resources. 

Machado described Betancourt's track record as "obscene corruption" and dismissed him as a viable business partner for a future democratic administration.

Independent audits, both inside and outside Venezuela, have shown that the businessman amassed his fortune through no-bid power-plant contracts that overcharged the state. In her statements, Machado directly identified him as "one of the main culprits for what our people are suffering right now" regarding the electricity crisis.

Legal transparency and the future of institutions

When asked about the status of the commercial commitments currently being signed by the Trump administration and the regime led by Delcy Rodríguez, Machado emphasized that respect for the constitutional framework will be the sole criterion for determining the validity of any energy agreement.

"I want to be very clear now: if these contracts that are being signed, these agreements that are being signed, comply with Venezuelan law, they will be respected," the leader stated. However, she stressed that those partnerships established outside the bounds of the law or with actors tainted by financial irregularities will lack institutional legitimacy.

On human rights, the opposition leader reaffirmed that complaints filed with international organizations against current high-ranking officials must be processed through formal judicial mechanisms.

"In our Constitution and in international treaties there are crimes that are not subject to amnesty or pardon," she pointed out, proposing the creation of an independent truth commission and specialized courts.

Prospects for a return to democracy

Despite obstacles that have prevented her from returning to the country after multiple air and sea attempts, Machado reiterated her determination to return to Venezuela "sooner than expected" to support the institutional change process. Recent Bloomberg opinion polls show support for her leadership at 52% among those surveyed.

Machado concluded that true economic stability and the attraction of international capital will require the restoration of the rule of law and the free market.

"Venezuela will be free. We will bring our children back home, build democratic institutions that will last for generations, have open markets that will offer unparalleled conditions for international investment , and turn our country into a source of stability for the entire region," she asserted.