An unofficial adviser to the Trump administration who has played a leading role in shaping U.S. Venezuela policy and multimillion-dollar deals to exploit the OPEC state's vast oil resources has told Reuters he is no longer overseeing the portfolio.
In a role likened by current and former government officials and business sources in the U.S. and Venezuela to that of a viceroy, Miami-based businessman Mauricio Claver-Carone reported to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has spearheaded Venezuela policy.
Though he held no formal government position, he emerged as one of the Trump administration's most influential players on Venezuela since the January 3 U.S. raid that captured President Nicolas Maduro.