2023-10-19 08:10:12
US Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Brian Nelson announced, “In accordance with US sanctions policy and in response to these democratic developments, the Treasury Department has permitted transactions related to the Venezuelan gas and oil sector, as well as the gold sector.”
Announcement
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro welcomed on Wednesday the easing of some US sanctions on his country, the day after an agreement between the authorities and the opposition to hold presidential elections in 2024.
“Let us turn the page and rebuild a relationship of respect and cooperation… This is my message to the authorities and to the government of the United States,” Maduro said Wednesday during a meeting at the presidential palace.
He also welcomed the agreement signed Tuesday between his government and the opposition during negotiations in Barbados, sponsored by Norway, to hold presidential elections in the second half of 2024.
However, Washington said that it expects “all” candidates to be able to run in these elections, otherwise the United States may reverse its decision.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in a statement that the United States has informed the government of President Nicolas Maduro that it expects him to present by the end of November “a timetable and an accelerated process to return all candidates to their positions.”
He also called for the release of “all American citizens and political prisoners unjustifiably detained” in Venezuela.
Five opponents were released on Wednesday in Venezuela as a result of the Barbados Agreement, including former MP Juan Requesens and journalist Roland Carreño, who is close to oppositionist Juan Guaido. They had been detained since 2018 and 2020.
Carreño, accused of “terrorism”, said upon leaving prison, “I was surprised because after waiting and worrying for three years, regaining my freedom gives me hope that Venezuela will regain it as well.”
The announcement of easing US sanctions, which is limited to the oil and gas sector, came after the agreement reached on Tuesday.
But the agreement excludes unqualified candidates. This applies to Maria Corina Machado, the most likely candidate in the opposition primaries on Sunday to choose her candidate to confront Maduro in 2024.
American officials, who requested to remain anonymous, indicated on Wednesday evening that their “understanding” of the agreement was that Caracas was committed to “paving the way” for these candidates to participate in the ballot.
US Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Brian Nelson, in charge of financial intelligence and terrorism, announced in a statement that, “In accordance with US sanctions policy and in response to these democratic developments, the Treasury Department has permitted transactions related to the Venezuelan oil and gas sector, as well as the gold sector.”
In practice, the US government allowed the purchase of Venezuelan gas and oil for a period of six months, renewable if “Venezuela respects the commitments made within the framework of the electoral agreement.”
As for the gold sector, no period has been specified. The Treasury Department justified its decision by the desire to “reduce gold exchanges on the black market.”
Maduro welcomed the American move. He said, “Venezuela has returned again with these agreements to the oil and gas market,” stressing that he wanted and always wants “relations of mutual respect” with the United States.
Washington has again allowed the exchange of Venezuelan debt securities on the secondary market, but the ban is still imposed on the primary market, that is, debt securities newly issued by the government.
The markets were eagerly awaiting the easing of sanctions on Venezuelan oil and had been anticipating this positive development for days, which led to a decline in the price of a barrel despite the war between Israel and Hamas.
However, other US sanctions are still in place, including freezing Venezuelan assets.
Announcement
On the other hand, a plane coming from the United States carrying 130 Venezuelan immigrants who were expelled from the country landed on Wednesday at Caracas Airport, in the first flight of this kind.
The Venezuelan opposition did not recognize the re-election of President Nicolas Maduro in 2018 in elections that were widely considered fraudulent and not recognized by many countries.
The following year, Washington tightened sanctions on Caracas that were first imposed in 2015 over the brutal suppression of anti-government protests.
In 2019, Washington, as well as part of the international community, recognized Juan Guaido, the opposition leader who declared himself interim president. The opposition ended this interim presidency in January, considering that it had not achieved its goals of political change.
Additional sources • AFP
1697704130
#President #Venezuela #welcomes #easing #sanctions #imposed #country