US eases sanctions on Venezuela after government-opposition deal

The United States welcomed the “social safety net” agreement reached on Saturday Mexico between government and opposition Venezuela, which made it possible to immediately lift the sanctions imposed Washington a Caracas.

“We join the international community in welcoming the resumption of talks between the two sides after almost a year and a half of paralysis,” a senior government source said. US government about the resumption of negotiations in Mexico.

The whistleblower indicated that the agreement took into account “important steps in the right direction” in Venezuelawho received an exemption from the sanctions in a few minutes with the permission of Washington a Chevron partially resume operations oil production in Caribbean country.

According to the Ministry of Finance, Chevron may partially reactivate a company it co-owns in Venezuela with a state-owned company Petroleos de Venezuela (PdVSA)if it is ensured that “PdVSA does not receive any income from the sale of oil produced by Chevron”.

This partial lifting of the punitive provisions “reflects a long-term US policy of lifting sanctions subject to concrete progress,” which will reduce the suffering of the Venezuelan people and “support the return of democracy” to Venezuela, the Treasury Department said.

Other sanctions remain in place

State Department for his part, he clarified that the remaining sanctions remained in place and that USA he will continue to apply them “vigorously.”

The pact between the government and the opposition will release Venezuelan resources blocked abroad, without specifying where the funds are and their amount, the government said.

A fierce opponent of easing pressure on Caracas, an influential Democratic senator. Bob MenendezThe president of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said Saturday’s agreement is “an urgent and necessary step to deal with the poverty and suffering of the Venezuelan people.”

However, he added that he had “no illusions” about the “sudden willingness” of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to act “in the interests of his people” and that if he tried to use the talks “to buy time” and “to further strengthen his criminal dictatorships The United States and its international partners must fully return to sanctions.”

In addition, Republican Senator Rick Scott instead stressed that “there is no scenario in which the United States has to negotiate with thugs like Maduro and his nefarious regime.”

Venezuela is under sanctions from the US and Europe, which seek to help remove Maduro from power, but at the same time exacerbate the economic crisis that hit the country without achieving the desired results.

Maduro and Washington have had direct contact since the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its impact on oil prices.

The US government has publicly acknowledged that Venezuelan oil this can be useful in a high-price international market and in an environment of strong U.S. inflation, largely due to rising gasoline prices.

(According to AFP)