Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro gives the victory signal as he speaks in a joint news briefing with his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi at the Saadabad Palace in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, June 11, 2022. Photo AP/Vahid Salemi.
Caracas, June 28, 2022 (OrinocoTribune.com)—A United States government delegation arrived in Venezuela on Monday, June 27, to review the bilateral agenda with Venezuela and to continue the dialogue opened on March 5, President Nicolás Maduro announced last night.
During the award ceremony for the National Journalism Award, the Venezuelan president said that the president of the National Assembly (AN), Jorge Rodríguez, would receive the US delegation to continue discussing various issues.
“At this time, Jorge Rodríguez is receiving an important delegation from the United States that arrived two hours ago and is working to continue the communications that began on March 5, as well as the bilateral agenda between the United States government and the government of Venezuela,” said the head of state.
The Associated Press (AP) reported that the US delegation is made up of Ambassador James Story, who heads the Venezuelan Affairs Unit of the US government operating in Bogotá, Colombia.
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El Presidente de la Asamblea Nacional Jorge Rodríguez, recibió a una importante delegación del Gobierno de los EE. UU. Nuestra disposición es trabajar para darle continuidad a las conversaciones iniciadas en el mes de marzo y a la agenda bilateral entre nuestros gobiernos. pic.twitter.com/mPi6mPtlVU
— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) June 28, 2022
Also arriving in Venezuela was Roger Carstens, US special presidential envoy on hostage affairs, who will advocate for several US citizens detained in Caracas.
On March 5, the Venezuelan government received a high-level delegation from the Biden administration, which included Biden’s adviser for hemispheric affairs, Juan Gonzalez, in addition to the US delegates who have returned to Caracas. On that occasion they met with President Maduro; his wife, Deputy Cilia Flores; and Vice President Delcy Rodríguez.
After that meeting, the US government announced a few measures easing its illegal sanctions against Venezuela. Although much noise was generated by mainstream media regarding sanctions relief following the meeting, only two small decisions were taken by the US administration in that regard, despite the goodwill decision of Venezuela’s government to release two naturalized US citizens convicted of crimes in Venezuela.
NEW: US officials including Amb. James Story and Special Presidential Envoy Roger Carstens are back in Caracas for meetings with @NicolasMaduro govt and jailed Americans.
A trip in March set a path to reset relations that has advanced in fits and starts. https://t.co/MUdIfcTslp
— Joshua Goodman (@APjoshgoodman) June 27, 2022
Earlier this month, the White House lifted sanctions on a top Venezuelan official, Carlos Erik Malpica. In addition, two European energy corporations, Italy’s ENI and Spain’s Repsol, managed to receive authorization from the US Department of the Treasury (OFAC) to resume oil-exporting activities.
Venezuela is ready to receive French companies
The Venezuelan head of state also spoke about the request made by the French government on Monday, in which a French diplomat suggested that Venezuelan and Iranian oil should return to the international market.
In this sense, President Maduro said that Venezuela is prepared to receive any French companies who want to procure oil and gas to sell on the European and the world market.
After the sanctions imposed on Russia, European countries are searching for options to replace their dependence on Russian oil and gas. The Italian company ENI recently exported a shipment of Venezuelan crude oil, as part of the easing of sanctions which allows trade with some European companies.
Orinoco Tribune special by staff
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