Advertisement

Supported by

Thomas L. Friedman

By Thomas L. Friedman

Opinion Columnist

President Trump said Tuesday that Venezuela would begin handing over oil worth up to $3 billion that Trump would dole out “to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States.” On what legal basis this is being done and where exactly the money will go was not made clear by the president.

But for the people of Venezuela, here is what is certain: If you didn’t know before, now you know. Trump came to liberate your oil, not your people. Sorry to tell you, but last Saturday was “O-Day,” not “D-Day.”

It is now clear that Trump’s priority in capturing President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela was not to make........

© The New York Times