The United States backed a “social protection” agreement between the Venezuelan government and the Mexican opposition, reached Saturday, that allows Washington to lift sanctions immediately. Venezuelan.
Regarding the resumption of talks in Mexico, a senior US government source said, after nearly a year and a half of paralysis between the two sides, “we join the international community in welcoming the resumption of negotiations.”
The whistleblower pointed out that the deal was “significant steps in the right direction” in Venezuela, and was lifted from sanctions minutes later when Washington approved Chevron’s partial resumption of oil exploration in the Caribbean country.
According to the Treasury Department, Chevron could partially continue operations in the company it co-owns with state-owned company Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) in Venezuela if “PDVSA ensures that Chevron receives no revenue from oil sales.”
The Treasury Department said the partial repeal of penal provisions “reflects the long-term US policy of lifting sanctions based on concrete progress” that will ease the suffering of the Venezuelan people and “provide support for the return of democracy” in Venezuela.
Other Sanctions
The State Department, on the other hand, states that other sanctions remain in place and that the United States will continue to enforce them “vigorously”.
According to the government, the government’s opposition pact will release Venezuela’s funds blocked abroad, without specifying where or how much those funds are.
The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, influential Democrat Senator Bob Menéndez, has been a staunch opponent of easing pressure on Caracas and credits this Saturday’s agreement as “an urgent and necessary step to end to the misery and suffering of the Venezuelans to the people.” .
However, Menéndez pointed out that Nicolás Maduro had “no illusions” about his “sudden will” to act “in the interest of his people”.
Venezuela is under US and European sanctions aimed at facilitating the removal of Maduro from power, but at the same time exacerbating the economic crisis that has hit the country without the desired results.
Talks resumed in May when some US sanctions were eased following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its impact on oil prices.
The US government has openly acknowledged that Venezuelan oil can be useful in an international market with high prices and high inflation in the US, largely due to the rise in gasoline prices.
Ephesus
Source: Ultimahora
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Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
