Paraguana Refining Complex. One of the biggest in the world. Photo: PDVSA.
The Vice President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, confirmed this Tuesday, May 17, that the US government authorized US and European oil companies to “negotiate and restart operations” in the South American country, amid a complex package of sanctions imposed by Washington against the Venezuelan people for over a decade.
“The Bolivarian government of Venezuela has verified and confirmed the news published to the effect that the United States of America has authorized US and European oil companies to negotiate and restart operations in Venezuela,” Rodríguez wrote via Twitter.
The senior official pointed out that her country hopes that this type of US decision “starts a path for the absolute lifting of illegal sanctions” that affect the Venezuelan population.
El Gobierno Bolivariano de Venezuela, ha verificado y confirmado, las noticas publicadas en el sentido de que los Estados Unidos de América ha autorizado a empresas petroleras estadounidenses y europeas para que negocien y reinicien operaciones en Venezuela.
— Delcy Rodríguez (@delcyrodriguezv) May 17, 2022
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Rodríguez added that the international community is aware that Venezuela has achieved an “economic recovery with its own efforts” despite the illegitimate sanctions and the inhumane blockade imposed against the country by the US, the European Union, and other allied governments.
“Our people are proud of the work and achievements of recent times,” stated the vice president, who wrote that the Venezuelan government, “connected to its deep democratic values, will continue to tirelessly promote fruitful dialogue in national and international formats.”
El mundo sabe que Venezuela ha dado sus primeros pasos en el camino para la recuperación económica con esfuerzo propio, denunciando y superando las sanciones ilegítimas y el bloqueo inhumano. Nuestro pueblo se siente orgulloso del trabajo y los logros de los últimos tiempos.
— Delcy Rodríguez (@delcyrodriguezv) May 17, 2022
What had the media said?
Prior to Caracas’s confirmation, the AP news agency reported—according to statements by senior US government officials who spoke on condition of anonymity—the changes that Washington would apply with respect to sanctions, and announced that the Biden administration will allow Chevron Corp. to negotiate its license with the state-owned Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), but not to drill or export oil of Venezuelan origin.
Other news agencies, including Spain’s EFE, citing a high-level official from the Biden administration, reported that during a call with journalists, Biden confirmed the lifting of Chevron’s ban on negotiating with PDVSA, and that the relief from sanctions seeks to try to reactivate the dialogue between the opposition and the Venezuelan government.
“I want to clarify that the government is doing this in response to the talks that are taking place between the regime and the interim government (of Juan Guaidó),” the official commented, repeating Washington’s old worn out script. Sanctions relief would also include the removal of some Venezuelans close to the government from the list of individuals sanctioned by the US.
For its part, The Wall Street Journal, in an article by its editorial board entitled “Biden’s dance with a Latino dictator,” published on Monday, referred to movements that US government and the Democrats would be advancing, with the aim of reestablishing relations with Venezuela and President Nicolás Maduro.
In the text, the Wall Street Journal quoted the Mexican president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who last week, in one of his morning press conferences, said that “there was already an agreement with Venezuela for a US company to extract one million barrels a day.”
“This is good for Venezuela, it’s good for the US , it’s good for the world,” added the Mexican president, while criticizing the US’s failed policy of illegal unilateral sanctions..
With conditions
Last March, a rapprochement between the US and Venezuela began. That month, a US delegation was received in Caracas by President Maduro, who described the meeting as “respectful, cordial” and “very diplomatic.”
After the meeting, Venezuela released two US prisoners: Gustavo Cárdenas, convicted of embezzlement, conspiring with a state contractor, and for conspiracy to commit a crime; and Jorge Fernández, accused of terrorism.
In addition, following the meeting the spokesperson for the US State Department, Ned Price, stated that Washington would “review” some sanctions policies, but under certain conditions.
“We will reconsider some sanctions policies if, and only if, the parties make significant progress in the negotiations led by Venezuela in Mexico, to achieve the fulfillment of the aspirations of the Venezuelan people for a true, authentic democracy,” Price commented again, repeating the familiar US script.
For his part, the then Venezuelan Foreign Minister, Félix Plasencia, said that Caracas would be willing to cooperate with the US with regard to oil trade, as long as “the sovereignty and legitimacy” of the government of Venezuela are respected.
“I hope they respect the sovereignty and legitimacy of my government,” Plasencia said. “President Maduro is the sole and legitimate head of government of Venezuela. We can do a lot together in the oil trade by convincing them to respect that.”
Featured image: Paraguana Refining Complex, one of the biggest in the world. Photo: PDVSA.
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SL
