US ends sanctions relief against Venezuela’s oil sector
Madrid, 18 (Europa Press)
The United States government announced this Wednesday that it is ending the sanctions imposed against the Venezuelan oil sector after it decided not to renew the license for six more months amid a democratic setback in the Latin American country in view of the next presidential elections. The relief has ended. ,
The license issued by the US Treasury Department that allows transactions with the oil and gas sector is set to expire at midnight from Wednesday to Thursday, although companies will have until May 31 to cease pending operations. After that, companies that want to do business in both regions must seek permission from the Treasury Department, which will evaluate each request “on a case-by-case basis.”
After the Venezuelan government and the Venezuelan opposition platform reached an agreement to guarantee the holding of transparent and free elections in Barbados, the United States decided to ease its sanctions, a condition, however, that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro did not agree to. Was related to, completed. This commitment.
The US State Department said through a statement, “After a careful review of the current situation in Venezuela, the United States has determined that Maduro and his representatives have not fully adhered to the commitments made in the Electoral Pathway Agreement Is.”
However, Washington acknowledged that Caracas has “fulfilled some commitments” in Barbados, but expressed concern about problems registering opposition candidacies with the National Electoral Council (CNE) or the “unjust” detention of several members. Is. Electoral team of disqualified opponent María Corina Machado.
Antony Blinken’s office stressed, “We again urge Maduro to allow all candidates and parties to participate in the electoral process and to release all political prisoners without restriction or delay.”
Similarly, while he has indicated that his partners in the international community urge him to fulfill the commitments he has signed, he has said that “he will continue to support the aspirations of Venezuelans for a more democratic, stable and prosperous Venezuela.”
The ruling of political ineligibility imposed on Machado in mid-2023 and the decision of Chavista authorities not to remove him forced the opposition to look for a last-minute replacement to Corina Yoris, who failed to register within the period set by the CNE. Was also unable. , supposedly to block unitary platform cards.
The platform managed to register a younger candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, with the hope of replacing him at some point, while the candidacy of Maduro critic Manuel Rosales was also forged in the last minutes before the deadline.
Recently, the Venezuelan President proposed the establishment of the death penalty to punish crimes of corruption and treason, and raised it to constitutional level amid a wave of arrests for assassination attempts against him. Those detained include journalists, former soldiers, lawyers and human rights activists.