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Richard Grenell, special envoy to Venezuela under President Trump, is facing criticism for conducting an unauthorized mission to retrieve U.S. Air Force veteran Joseph St. Clair from Venezuelan custody.
Grenell’s solo trip to Antigua, undertaken without presidential approval, has stirred controversy within the administration. Anonymous insiders suggest that Grenell’s actions aimed to pressure the White House to renew Chevron’s license to import Venezuelan oil, which is set to expire on May 27.
Joseph St. Clair, a 33-year-old veteran with four tours in Afghanistan, was detained near Venezuela’s border with Colombia in October 2024. He was designated by the U.S. government as wrongfully detained. St. Clair had traveled to the region seeking alternative therapies for PTSD and was arrested alongside a friend, subsequently imprisoned at El Rodeo I, a facility known for harsh conditions.
Grenell’s unauthorized mission and subsequent announcement of a 60-day extension for Chevron’s operations in Venezuela conflicted with the administration’s official stance. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other officials reaffirmed the decision to let Chevron’s license expire, aligning with a hardline approach against Nicolás Maduro’s regime. This position was also influenced by opposition from Miami-area Republican representatives, who threatened to withhold support for key legislation if the license were extended.
The situation has broader implications for U.S.-Venezuela relations and the strategic considerations surrounding Chevron’s operations. While Grenell argued that Maduro’s cooperation in releasing St. Clair warranted an extension of Chevron’s license to prevent increased Chinese influence in Venezuela, others within the administration viewed any concession as a potential endorsement of Maduro’s government.
Ultimately, the administration decided to let Chevron’s license expire as scheduled on May 27, emphasizing a consistent policy of economic pressure on Maduro’s regime.
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