Russian President Vladimir Putin looks on at Rosneft President Igor Sechin. Venezuelan media is
Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images
Russia looks set to be buying Venezuela’s oil. Like, all of it.
According to rumors in the market and one confirmed recently by Venezuelan daily El Nacional, Russia’s
state-owned oil giant Rosneft is going to take control of PdVSA, the
bankrupt Venezuelan oil company that explores for and produces most of
the country’s oil.
Rosneft is a big lender to PdVSA, and PdVSA is
broke so Rosneft wants to be paid. So it makes sense that the
Venezuelan government would sell something. Rosneft owns a large stake
in Citgo, essentially a PdVSA subsidiary and a well-known gasoline
station brand here in the States.
Imagine if you will the raucous
sound of hysteria you would get from many newsrooms if, say, Exxon, was
buying PdVSA instead of the Russians.
Let me give you a hint of
the headlines and then the following hot takes that would flow on social
media by the Hands Off Venezuela activists and their sympathizers.
Headline: Exxon Buys Venezuelan Oil Giant PdVSA.
Subhead: As Washington Crushes Country With Sanctions, Socialists United Unable To Pay Its Bills, Must Sell Prized Possession.
American Twitter: Another regime change for oil. This is pure theft
of the resources of the Venezuelan people by greedy corporations backed
by Washington! #HandsOffVenezuela
Latin America Twitter: Imperialistas! Yankees go home! Trump es $%@! #VenezuelaLibre!
No comments:
Post a Comment