US energy secretary denies 'gunpoint diplomacy' in Venezuela oil deal

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright publicly rejected claims that Washington is coercively seizing Venezuelan oil, framing the deal as a 'transformation' of bilateral relations. The statement responds to criticism that the Trump administration's energy agreement with Venezuela's interim leaders violates the country's constitution. The deal's terms remain opaque, and its legitimacy is contested, marking a notable shift in US-Venezuela policy.