Biden to discuss Venezuela sanctions with Colombia's Petro in White House talks -official

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden will tell Colombian President Gustavo Petro in White House talks yesterday that he is willing to further ease sanctions on Venezuela only in return for concrete steps toward free elections there, a senior administration official told Reuters.

Previewing the leaders' first meeting, the official said Biden would reiterate to Petro, who has called for lifting sanctions on Venezuela, that he is not prepared to provide significant sanctions relief to President Nicolas Maduro’s government until he agrees to democratic steps with the country’s opposition.

Relations between neighbors Colombia and Venezuela have warmed since Petro's inauguration in August, and Maduro has celebrated moves by Bogota to organize an international conference on April 25 to promote resumption of talks between his Socialist government and opposition politicians.

The White House talks are aimed at renewing historically strong ties between Washington and Bogota and charting a new relationship with Colombia’s first leftist president. A wide-ranging agenda will also include antidrug cooperation, regional migration, Petro’s peace efforts with rebel groups as well as climate change.

Since taking office, Biden has eased some U.S. sanctions on OPEC-member Venezuela to encourage dialogue. But negotiations have stalled again.

“Unilateral lifting of sanctions," the official said on condition of anonymity, "will line the pockets of people who have already stolen billions of dollars from Venezuela ... The two presidents are going to likely discuss it and I think we can find common ground."

Petro said at the United Nations this week the objective of the Venezuela conference would be "more democracy, zero sanctions.”