Florida Congresswoman Changes Position on Trump’s Venezuelan Oil Deal

<figure><img alt="GOP Florida Representative Maria Elvira Salazar can't seem to make up her mind." src="https://thedailybeast-thedailybeast-prod.web.arc-cdn.net/resizer/v2/URN6XVKOR5EALCYPHMPSTL7FEE.JPG?auth=ff1ee337030f9de98fd036fa5719aaaa3638a3024517927d11efeb5708d0f22f&amp;smart=true&amp;width=4400&amp;height=2475" /><figcaption>Jair Coll / REUTERS</figcaption></figure><p>Florida GOP Representative María Salazar initially criticized Donald Trump’s recently announced Venezuelan oil deal but later expressed support for it. When Trump announced a deal to provide the U.S. with access to Venezuelan oil, Salazar described it as a scheme by acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez, whom she referred to as the “acting dictator,” suggesting it was an attempt to “buy time” with Trump.</p><p>Salazar stated on social media that any agreement with Venezuela’s interim regime would be temporary, emphasizing that a lasting deal could only be made with a democratically elected government that respects the rule of law.</p><p>However, hours later, she reversed her stance, calling the U.S.-Venezuela oil agreement a “great deal for the United States and the Venezuelan people.” She criticized China for taking advantage of Venezuela’s situation and stated that the United States is now “taking the lead” in a strategy that would lead Venezuela to “peace, stability and security.”</p><p>Despite her support, Salazar warned that Rodríguez is the “wrong person to make this deal” and reiterated that only a democratic government could ensure a reliable oil agreement.</p><p>Salazar deleted her initial post. The Daily Beast has reached out to her office for clarification on her change of position and whether she is advocating for Rodríguez’s removal before any deal is finalized.</p><p>Trump claimed that the U.S. negotiated an agreement allowing private American companies access to 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil reserves “at no cost to the American taxpayer.” The Venezuelan government indicated that companies would be allowed to work on 17 oil fields, potentially generating $100 billion in investments and $209 billion in tax revenue.</p><p>However, no text of the agreement has been released, and details regarding its implementation and oversight remain unclear. Trump has not addressed the estimated $13 billion in sales of Venezuelan oil since the U.S. intervention against Maduro, as reported by The Financial Times.</p><p>Critics have condemned the new deal, arguing that Trump is framing the U.S. involvement in Venezuela as a human rights issue rather than an unconstitutional oil acquisition that violates national sovereignty.</p><img alt="X/Senator Chris Von Hollen" height="342" src="https://thedailybeast-thedailybeast-prod.web.arc-cdn.net/resizer/v2/C5K4LAQ4QJAJNIYQCEU2ZMHGGU.png?auth=d0ceeedb101380355f6f76203626162ca1a31ec13aa9b725da0ada7ed1dfd6a3&amp;smart=true&amp;width=1072&amp;height=342" width="1072" /><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/gop-rep-deletes-rebuke-of-donald-trump-in-embarrassing-about-face/">Read more at The Daily Beast.</a></p>