Betancourt: The Venezuelan 'bolichico' broker behind a landmark US-Venezuela oil deal

An in-depth profile of Alejandro Betancourt López, the Venezuelan entrepreneur behind Nabep—the Barbados-registered firm tapped to oversee 17 oil fields containing about 65 billion barrels—as part of a highly scrutinized US-backed oil deal. The piece traces his rise from Chávez-era contracts and the 'bolichicos' era to a broad international network and multiple investigations, and explains why US officials say he is the right partner despite ongoing legal scrutiny and controversy surrounding the arrangements.