WASHINGTON, Jan 29 (Reuters) – The top Democrat on a U.S. House investigative committee on Thursday asked global trading houses Vitol and Trafigura about any correspondence with the Trump administration before the U.S. capture of Venezuela’s leader, to determine, he said, who benefits from that action.
Representative Robert Garcia asked Russell Hardy, the CEO of Vitol and Richard Holtum, the CEO of Trafigura, for all communications between their companies and any members of the Trump administration from January last year until now.
U.S. forces captured Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro early this month and the Trump administration will manage Venezuela’s oil sales “indefinitely.” Vitol and Trafigura obtained the first U.S. licenses to load and export Venezuelan oil.
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
The oversight committee has broad authority to investigate any matter. While Democrats do not currently control the House, President Donald Trump’s fellow Republicans are in a battle to retain control of the House in November’s midterm elections.
KEY QUOTE
“The Committee seeks answers about the Trump Administration’s intentions regarding its sale and marketing of Venezuelan oil, as well as its intentions regarding the resulting revenue,” Garcia wrote to the companies. “We further seek to understand the nature of any agreements your companies have made with the Trump Administration regarding Venezuelan commodities, and the role your companies hold in carrying out the Administration’s actions relating to Venezuela.”
Vitol and Trafigura did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
CONTEXT
On Wednesday, a dozen House Democrats sent a letter to 21 companies who attended a January 9 White House meeting, including Vitol and Trafigura, about developing Venezuelan oil resources, warning them that any transaction or investment they make there faces legal and financial risks.
(Reporting by Timothy Gardner in Washington and Robert Harvey in London; Editing by Toby Chopra)
