Joaquin Castro Presses State Department for More Records on Venezuela Oil Deal

Representative Joaquin Castro (D-TX) is calling on the State Department to release additional records after the State Department provided the House Foreign Affairs Committee with one document related to the Trump administration’s oil deal with Venezuela.

Rep. Castro, House Foreign Affairs Ranking Member Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) and Democratic Members of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere said the single-page letter is not enough to conduct meaningful congressional oversight of the Trump administration’s Venezuela policy.

“We appreciate that State has provided this document, but a single document falls far short of the records Democrats have requested as we conduct oversight over the Trump administration’s Venezuela policy,” the lawmakers said in a joint statement.

In February, Democrats requested information on the Trump administration’s decision to route Venezuela oil revenues into an offshore account in Qatar. The lawmakers are continuing to request additional records, including a full audit of the deal and information about the management and disbursement of the oil revenues – all of which remain pending.

However, Rep. Castro said he has received a “limited set” of documents from the Trump administration on its deal with “shady” Venezuelan businessman Alejandro Betancourt for Venezuelan oil after the congressman subpoenaed them last month.

“It's a start but no where near what the Administration must provide Congress,” Rep. Castro said.

The lawmakers said they will continue scrutinizing the administration’s Venezuela policy and call on Secretary Marco Rubio to provide the remaining documents.

“Congress cannot conduct meaningful oversight based on selective disclosures,” the lawmakers said. “Providing one document while withholding other central records raises further questions about what the administration is trying to conceal.”

Rep. Castro said the investigation will continue until there is full transparency on the details fo the deal.

“There's billions of dollars moving hands and next to zero accountability,” he said. “Americans are sick of corruption, and Venezuelans are too. We will continue these investigations until we have accountability.”