Trump Doing a “Great Job”: Wait, Not Fighting Coronavirus But Tightening Aggression Against Venezuela
Mike Pompeo pointed out that the US oil companies operating in Venezuela will begin “their liquidation process.”
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday that Donald Trump will continue to “apply pressure” to the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, “while” seeking how to “provide humanitarian assistance” to the South American country.
Pompeo noted that the Treasury Department issued a license that requires US oil companies, operating in Venezuela, to gradually cease operations. “A new tightly limited seven-month license was announced for companies operating there to begin their liquidation process,” he said.
We will continue to apply pressure to the Maduro regime all the while seeking to provide humanitarian assistance to the Venezuelan people. #EstamosUnidosVE pic.twitter.com/5voRvbiRZZ
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) April 23, 2020
RELATED CONTENT: Trump Orders Chevron to Shutter Venezuela Operations
The new license, issued Tuesday by the Treasury Department, allows US oil companies Chevron, Halliburton, Schlumberger, Baker Hughes and Weatherford International to operate in Venezuela only “for essential maintenance or reduction of operations” until December 1.
Since 2019, the USA has imposed sanctions that prohibit oil imports from the South American country and the transactions carried out with the state-owned PetrĂłleos de Venezuela (PDVSA).
Venezuelan Chancellor, Jorge Arreaza posted a response on his Twitter account: “Today, the US is at the epicenter of the world pandemic. Instead of attacking Venezuelan people & announcing “maximum pressure”, Trump, @SecPompeo & his hawks should pay their “maximum attention” to the tragedy their people are facing due to their terrible handling of #Covid_19.”
Today, the US is at the epicenter of the world pandemic. Instead of attacking Venezuelan people & announcing "maximum pressure", Trump, @SecPompeo, & his hawks should pay their "maximum attention" to the tragedy their people are facing due to their terrible handling of #Covid_19 https://t.co/RLlsWR1CV7
— Jorge Arreaza M (@jaarreaza) April 23, 2020
Humanitarian assistance
At the same time, Pompeo said that they work to “provide humanitarian assistance” to the Venezuelan people. However, on April 17, Venezuela’s foreign minister, Jorge Arreaza, denied that Caracas had received any request or show of support from the United States.
On that occasion, Arreaza stressed that Venezuela has no problem accepting humanitarian assistance from the US government, with “prior coordination and review by the World Health Organization (WHO)”, in the context of the coronavirus pandemic.
Beyond the willingness to receive aid from Washington, the Venezuelan government has made it clear that, so far, the unilateral coercive measures applied by the United States have caused losses to the South American nation of more than 100,000 million dollars.
Featured image: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during press conference. April 22, 2020. Nicholas Kamm / Reuters
Source URL: Actualidad RT with OT content
Translated and edited by JRE/EF
