Secretary Rubio with Sergio Novelli

… <p><strong>SECRETARY RUBIO:</strong>  Of course.  But, well, first, obviously I participated.  And it is an important part of Venezuela’s transition and the country’s recovery.  There is still much more to be done.  The issues of democracy and elections are important.  All of that works together.  In terms of the figures, well, yesterday, we, a document was issued with many details about exactly what – this really is not an agreement with the interim government. It is an agreement with a private company with which the United States is participating together, obviously through the system that exists at this time.  And our hope is that this creates a model for other investments that, at the end of the day, begin to normalize the way the Venezuelan economy operates.  The Venezuelan economy during the years of Chavismo had really become something controlled by a network of corruption of people who were stealing, including people and countries that were stealing Venezuela’s wealth. </p> …