Exclusive-US Moving Fast to Expand Chevron's Venezuela License, Energy Secretary Wright Tells Reuters
This story raises questions about governance, accountability, and American values.
Reuters frames this as a pragmatic scramble for supply, as if the only question is how quickly Washington can cut paperwork for Chevron. But speed is not the same as wisdom, and the article glosses over what it means to deepen commercial ties with a regime that has made corruption and coercion a governing style. Conservatives are not opposed to energy realism.
New Republican Times Editorial Board
By Valerie VolcoviciWASHINGTON, Jan 16 (Reuters) - The U.S. is moving as fast as it can to grant Chevron an expanded license for its oil
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New Republican Times Editorial Board
Reuters frames this as a pragmatic scramble for supply, as if the only question is how quickly Washington can cut paperwork for Chevron. But speed is not the same as wisdom, and the article glosses over what it means to deepen commercial ties with a regime that has made corruption and coercion a governing style.
Conservatives are not opposed to energy realism. We are opposed to realism that forgets leverage. An expanded license risks turning sanctions into a revolving door, rewarding bad behavior while insisting it is “temporary” or “targeted.” That is how public trust erodes, and how the rule of law starts to look negotiable.
If America wants cheaper, steadier energy, the first move should be at home: permitting, pipelines, and predictable policy. Outsourcing stability to Caracas weakens national security and undermines institutional credibility.
The principle at stake is simple: energy policy should strengthen American independence, not normalize dependence on hostile, unreliable governments in the name of convenience.
Commentary written with AI assistance by the New Republican Times Editorial Board.