【Wen/Observer Net Liu Bai】

Aggressors even boast of being "saviors" and accuse the innocent of being "beneficiaries". In a hearing on January 28, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio defended his government's aggressive actions while pointing fingers at China, with remarks that are textbook examples of distortion of facts.

At this Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Rubio repeatedly mentioned China, describing it as a core beneficiary of the Maduro government, falsely accusing China of sacrificing Venezuela's interests to obtain discounted oil, while also spreading fear about the presence of American rivals in the Western Hemisphere and warning against China's expanding influence in Latin America.

According to the Hong Kong English media South China Morning Post, Rubio stated at the meeting that China is a "core beneficiary" of the Maduro government, taking advantage of Venezuela's sanctions and isolation to obtain large discounts on crude oil and expand its influence in the Western Hemisphere.

Picture of Rubio attending the hearing

"China obtained oil at a discount of about $20 per barrel, and sometimes didn't even have to pay cash," Rubio said, claiming that these oils were used to repay China's debts, with these oils, which should belong to the Venezuelans, being provided to China in some cases through barter at a discount of $20 per barrel.

He claimed that the oil, which should be used for Venezuela's domestic economic recovery, was instead used to repay China's debt through "opaque agreements."

He complained to the senators present that Chinese oil refiners could obtain oil supplies at prices far lower than other regions, while Venezuela's economy continued to deteriorate.

In his view, this mechanism is one of the main reasons why the U.S. believes that if Venezuela is to recover stability, Maduro must step down.

Rubio said that if Maduro remains in power, any progress currently happening in Venezuela would not be possible, including "weakening the influence of Iran, Russia or China."

He also mentioned the reaction of the international community to this action, insisting that criticism mainly comes from those who benefit from the old system.

"Look at who is criticizing: China, Russia, Iran, and Hamas. These people are upset about this strike and raid."

While denying that the U.S. is in a state of war with Venezuela, Rubio described the Western Hemisphere as a region where Washington cannot tolerate competitors establishing bases.

"This is the Western Hemisphere, where we live. We will not allow the Western Hemisphere to become a base for our adversaries, competitors, and enemies."

This "righteous" U.S. official naturally did not mention who initiated the sanctions that plunged Venezuela into crisis, nor who sold the country's oil and pocketed the profits, nor who openly violated international law and launched an aggression.

He didn't say, but people can see clearly.

At the beginning of Rubio's speech, he was briefly interrupted by a protester holding a sign reading "Don't interfere in Venezuela."

In fact, it is the U.S.'s years of sanctions, including the full freeze of Venezuela's national oil company assets in 2019, cutting off its financial channels, and implementing a ban on oil exports, which have led to the country's economic lifeline being cut, oil production dropping from nearly 2 million barrels per day in 2017 to less than 1 million, causing a severe humanitarian crisis.

Venezuela's government stated in 2024 that U.S. sanctions against Venezuela had caused losses of about $70 billion in the country's GDP. Among them, the oil industry lost nearly $23.2 billion, and over $22 billion was frozen in international banks.

Now, the aggressor is blaming another country for the disaster they created, and their logic is absurd and shocking.

Several days before Rubio spoke, U.S. officials had already pointed their finger at Sino-Venezuelan trade, saying that the U.S. government allows China to buy Venezuela's oil, but not to use the "unfairly low price" used by the Maduro government when selling crude oil.

Even earlier, President Trump told oil industry executives at the White House that China and Russia could only purchase Venezuela's crude oil under U.S. control. He also said that if the U.S. did not take over Venezuela's oil industry, China or Russia would do so.

China has repeatedly emphasized that Venezuela is a sovereign country, with full and permanent sovereignty over its natural resources and all economic activities.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning pointed out that the U.S. rashly took military action against Venezuela, demanding that Venezuela prioritize U.S. interests when dealing with its oil resources, is a typical bullying act, seriously violating international law, seriously infringing on Venezuela's sovereignty, and seriously damaging the rights of the Venezuelan people. China strongly condemns this. I want to emphasize that the legitimate rights and interests of China and other countries in Venezuela must be protected.

January 21, Maracaibo, Venezuela. Venezuela is pushing forward a package of legal reforms aimed at attracting investment and strengthening the oil industry, while improving relations with the United States. IC Photo

During the entire hearing, Democrats repeatedly questioned Rubio about the lack of transparency in the Department of State, while most Republicans defended their party member's approach to handling U.S. foreign affairs.

Senators also asked whether the action in Venezuela would have broader implications for U.S.-China confrontation in other areas, including the Taiwan issue.

Rubio responded that China's goals in the Indo-Pacific region stem from its long-term strategic planning, predating the Venezuela crisis, and are driven by its core strategic interests, unrelated to developments in Latin America.

Despite the acting president of Venezuela, Rodriguez, stating on the 27th that she "was tired of taking orders from the United States," Rubio still insisted that the transitional government in Caracas had expressed willingness to cooperate with Washington, including reshaping economic relations and increasing transparency.

"So far, whenever you point out a field where they wish to cooperate, they nod, and we are making progress in all these areas. So far, we have encountered no obstacles."

Democrats also pressured Rubio over recent U.S. moves that have distanced itself from European and Indo-Pacific allies, creating space for China's expansion.

A map presented by senior Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen showed that the number of countries where China currently has ambassadors far exceeds that of the United States; the U.S. not only has "many embassies without heads" but also "caused talent loss," while China is actively recruiting talents.

Shaheen questioned the "inconsistent attitude" of the Trump administration toward NATO, saying that this is exactly what Russia and China would welcome most.

Senator Chris Coons said that the U.S. attempt to "coerce" Denmark to abandon Greenland was "shocking" and "seriously harmed" U.S. security interests, undermining the foundation of trust in confronting China, the "main threat."

Rubio tried to reassure the senators, saying that the U.S. position in Europe would remain strong, and the government's recent "adjustments" aim to strengthen the strength of allies in other regions, which will ultimately benefit NATO.

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Original: toutiao.com/article/7600582893777355264/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.