Mauricio Claver-Carone, the unofficial adviser who played a leading role in shaping US policy toward Venezuela and multimillion-dollar deals to exploit the OPEC nation’s vast oil resources, told Reuters he is no longer overseeing the portfolio.
The Miami-based businessman, whose role was likened by current and former officials to that of a viceroy, reported to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has spearheaded Venezuela policy. Though he held no formal government position, Claver-Carone emerged as one of the Trump administration’s most influential players on Venezuela since the January 3 US raid that captured President Nicolas Maduro. He said his departure was voluntary, though multiple sources familiar with the matter said he was forced out in recent weeks.
During his tenure, Claver-Carone wielded heavy influence over decisions that could eventually be worth billions of dollars, from debt restructuring to oil deals. Maduro was replaced by former Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, who worked closely with Claver-Carone and proved more compliant with US demands to open the country to American business.
Claver-Carone was key to US firm Centerview Partners clinching a contract, worth more than $150 million with no competitive bidding process, to restructure Venezuela’s roughly $200 billion of debt. He also helped arrange talks between the Venezuelan government and opposition leaders scheduled for August 1, and weighed in on oil deals in which companies were awarded potentially lucrative business, eight sources said.
“Just like in the first term and my service last year as Special Envoy, I was honored to provide advice and experience as a private citizen on Venezuela and to fill gaps early on to ensure President Trump’s policy was successful,” Claver-Carone said. “Over the last six months, there has now been an inter-agency team, led by Secretary Rubio, and a reestablished Embassy team, created to fully implement the President’s policy. I’m retired on Venezuela.”
The State Department said Claver-Carone was not being removed from any formal role. “Mr. Claver-Carone is an expert with contacts throughout our region and is a private citizen who does not currently have an official role in the Trump Administration,” a spokesperson said. “Any insinuation that he is being forced out of any formal role is inaccurate.”
His heavy-handed involvement with business deals in Caracas ruffled feathers within the State Department and among some investors, multiple sources told Reuters. Richard Grenell, the former ambassador and previous special envoy to Venezuela, spoke to Trump about Claver-Carone’s influence in business dealings in early July, according to several sources. Some Trump allies privately argued Claver-Carone was too close to Venezuelan political operators, including businessman Alejandro Betancourt, whom Claver-Carone acknowledged was used as an intermediary with Rodriguez’s government.
Claver-Carone, a Cuban American from south Florida and a longtime ally of Rubio, served as president of the Inter-American Development Bank during the first Trump administration before being ousted over misconduct. He was also one of the architects of US sanctions against Venezuela in 2019. It remains to be seen how dramatic a change the shakeup signals in how Washington handles business in Venezuela, where several other US officials still play significant roles.
Sources: Reuters, Devdiscourse, TradingView
Author: USA Desk
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