US allows oil company Chevron to resume production in Venezuela

The US government announced on Saturday that it is allowing the oil company Chevron resume limited activities booty natural resources of Venezuela as a result of the renewed dialogue between the Venezuelan government and the opposition.

This measure, according to Treasury Departmentreflects a long-term policy USA “ensure a targeted relaxation of sanctions through concrete steps that will reduce the suffering of the Venezuelan people and support the restoration of democracy.”

This license (GL 41) prevents the Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA from profiting from the sale of oil through Chevron and only permits activities related to Chevron joint ventures in Venezuela, and not other activities with PDVSA.

“Other sanctions and restrictions related to Venezuela imposed by the United States remain in place,” the statement said, according to which the country “will actively enforce these sanctions and will continue to prosecute any entity that engages in corrupt practices, violates the rules USA. laws or violations of human rights in Venezuela”.

Resumption of dialogue

The US executive branch subordinated any decision on Chevron parties to resume dialogue and advance other concrete commitments in support of the people of Venezuela.

Table of political negotiations between the regime Nicholas Maduro and the opposition, formally suspended since October 2021 by a government decision, re-established itself this Saturday in Mexico City.

In it, they signed the Second Partial Agreement for the Protection of the Venezuelan People, the main goal of which is to restore the public resources of the Caribbean country blocked in the international financial system.

“Announcements of the Single Platform and Regime Ripe These are important steps in the right direction to restore democracy in the country. The United States welcomes and supports the resumption of negotiations as part of our long-term policy of supporting the peaceful restoration of democracy,” the State Department added.

Decision on Chevron authorizes transactions necessary for certain activities relating to the operation of Chevron or its affiliates of their joint ventures involving PDVSA or any entity in which PDVSA directly or indirectly owns a 50% or more interest.

The official US source added to the press that the license issued will be valid for six months and that the US executive reserves the right to change or revoke it at any time if the Venezuelan regime does not negotiate in good faith or defaults. obligations.

PDVSA will not profit from oil sales

USA Through this source, he said that he would require the American oil company to provide detailed reports on the financial transactions of its joint ventures in order to guarantee transparency, and emphasized that the decision was not made “in response to energy prices” due to the international geopolitical context, but in support for democracy in this country.

Another senior US official said in a telephone press conference that his country had long made it clear “that the best solution in Venezuela it is a negotiation between the two parties,” and that they are willing to provide relief from sanctions to encourage this.

U.S. officials said this Saturday that the alleged license, confirmed today, was intended to “shift oil sales from illegal and opaque channels to transparent and legitimate channels, reducing the use of corrupt shady firms that control the flow of Venezuelan oil.” oil to countries such as China”.

Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, The chairman of the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations stressed this Saturday that anything else that does not lead to the full restoration of democratic institutions, the release of political prisoners, and free and fair elections should be considered “a failure.”

(As reported by EFE)