SOUTHCOM Head Defends Oil Trade with Venezuela: We Don’t Want China to Fill Void

On Wednesday’s broadcast of NPR’s “All Things Considered,” SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Laura Richardson defended the U.S. buying oil from Venezuela by stating that when it comes to countries that want to deepen their ties to China, “you don’t turn away. You get in there, and you work to work with that nation, because, if you turn away from a nation, then it will be filled by the void, and generally, by a void that we don’t want it to be filled by.”

Co-host Ailsa Chang asked, [relevant exchange begins around 3:50] “I have specifically heard you talk about protecting democracy in those regions, that you believe that China has been trying to advance its own, as you put it, brand of authoritarianism. I understand the concern about not supporting authoritarianism, but the U.S. does continue to buy oil from Venezuela, which many would describe as an authoritarian country. So, when it comes to countries that seem to want to deepen their economic and security ties with China and other countries, how is the U.S. trying to deter that in these regions?”

Richardson responded, “Well, the way I look at it is, you don’t turn away. You get in there, and you work to work with that nation, because, if you turn away from a nation, then it will be filled by the void, and generally, by a void that we don’t want it to be filled by. And so, we have to continue to figure out how to work with all of these nations that are so close to the homeland and to push democracy with like-minded democracies and show how democracy can deliver for these populations.”

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