Who is Alejandro Betancourt, the colourful oil baron behind US-Venezuela oil deal? - BBC News

The 46-year-old figure of international intrigue has an apparent knack for being in the right place at the right time.

Image source, Daniel Arce López/BBCImage caption, Alejandro Betancourt's name is familiar to many Venezuelans

President Donald Trump has called the deal granting the US control of strategic Venezuelan oil fields "the biggest in history".

North American Blue Energy Partners (Nabep), a company little known outside the South American country, will oversee the production and sale of 17 oil fields containing about 65bn barrels of crude.

The agreement has raised eyebrows to say the least.

And at the heart of it is Alejandro Betancourt López, the Venezuelan oil baron who heads the Barbados-registered firm.