It was a typically Trumpian(特朗普式的) announcement. On August 28th the American president announced what he called “the biggest oil deal in world history”, an agreement he said would give America “majority control” of more than 65bn barrels of Venezuelan crude, around a fifth of the country’s vast proven reserves(已探明储量). He described Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s unpopular leader, as the “Highly Respected Interim President of Venezuela”. Ms Rodríguez joined in the mutual obsequiousness(谄媚，奉承), offering her “deepest gratitude” to Donald Trump for a deal she said would contribute to “our country’s economic growth”.
这是一次典型的特朗普式宣布。8月28日，美国总统宣布了他所谓的“世界历史上最大的石油交易”，他称该协议将赋予美国对委内瑞拉超过650亿桶原油的“多数控制权”，约占该国庞大已探明储量的五分之一。他将委内瑞拉不受欢迎的领导人德尔西·罗德里格斯描述为“备受尊敬的委内瑞拉临时总统”。罗德里格斯女士也加入了相互奉承的行列，对唐纳德·特朗普表示“最深切的感谢”，称该协议将有助于“我们国家的经济增长”。
Mr Trump says the arrangement “more than doubles” American oil reserves. That is misleading(误导性的). The United States, whose own reserves stand at around 46bn barrels, has not been “gifted” 65bn barrels of Venezuelan oil—as Mr Trump has claimed. Instead, via the Pentagon(通过五角大楼), it is taking a 35% stake(股份，股权) in the parent company of a private oil producer, North American Blue Energy Partners (NABEP). The Venezuelan government has granted NABEP concessions(特许经营权) over 14 oilfields, as well as three it already runs.
特朗普先生表示，该协议“使美国石油储量增加一倍以上”。这是误导。美国自身的储量约为460亿桶，并未像特朗普先生声称的那样被“赠予”650亿桶委内瑞拉石油。相反，它通过五角大楼，在一家私营石油生产商——北美蓝色能源合作伙伴公司（NABEP）的母公司中持有35%的股份。委内瑞拉政府已授予NABEP对14个油田的特许经营权，以及它已经运营的3个油田。
According to the White House, America will have the right to buy 20% of NABEP’s future production at cost(按成本价), and will have first refusal(优先购买权) for its remaining output. It will also have veto power(否决权) over the appointment of any member of NABEP’s board of directors, the majority of whom must be US citizens. The Trump administration says the contract will be for 100 years and bring in more than $200bn in royalties(特许权使用费) and tax revenue for the Venezuelan state. The Venezuelan regime says the deal runs for just 25 years.
据白宫称，美国将有权按成本购买NABEP未来产量的20%，并对其剩余产量拥有优先购买权。它还将对NABEP董事会任何成员的任命拥有否决权，而董事会多数成员必须是美国公民。特朗普政府表示，合同期限为100年，将为委内瑞拉带来超过2000亿美元的特许权使用费和税收。委内瑞拉政权则表示，该协议仅持续25年。
The long game
长远博弈
Hold your nose
捏着鼻子