U.S. TO EASE SANCTIONS AGAINST VENEZUELA
The Biden administration said Tuesday it would slightly loosen the crippling economic sanctions against Venezuela’s government to help restart stagnant talks between President Nicolás Maduro and opposition leaders aimed at easing the country’s political and humanitarian crisis.
Senior U.S. officials said resumption of the negotiations were expected to be announced by Venezuelan officials.
To entice Maduro back to the negotiating table, the Biden administration said it would permit discussions between his government and Chevron, the last major American oil company with significant operations in Venezuela. Under current sanctions, Chevron is prohibited from doing business with the Venezuelan government and is only allowed to carry out essential maintenance work in the country.
The U.S. Treasury will also remove sanctions on Carlos Eric Malpica, a former Venezuelan state oil official and nephew of the first lady, Cilia Flores, according to a senior Biden administration official familiar with the talks. The official discussed the policy change Tuesday on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized by the White House to speak on the record.
Briefing reporters in Washington, the administration official warned that the concessions would be yanked back should Maduro’s government renege on goodfaith efforts to negotiate with political opponents led by the former National Assembly leader, Juan Guaidó, whom the United States considers Venezuela’s legitimate interim president.
The opposition’s main demand is a free and fair presidential election, which is scheduled to take place in 2024.