For decades, Venezuela has been one of China’s most important partners in Latin America and the largest recipient of Chinese government funds in Latin America, with Beijing lending Caracas tens of billions of dollars and accepting oil as repayment. Chinese policy banks provided it with at least $60 billion in oil-backed financing through 2015, while broader estimates of Chinese lending and investment commitments exceed $100 billion. Analysts estimate that Caracas still owes Chinese lenders at least $10 billion. Recovering that money…