The United States government assured this Tuesday that it has not changed its policy towards Venezuela. This following the visit last weekend of two US officials to talk regarding “energy security” with the Executive of Nicolás Maduro. All in the midst of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
United States policy on Venezuela
This was stated by the Undersecretary for Political Affairs of the State Department, Victoria Nuland. This during an appearance before the Committee on Foreign Relations of the United States Senate, where they asked him regarding that visit.
The White House on Monday confirmed the trip of a high-level US delegation to Caracas last weekend.
The objective was to hold meetings with the Maduro Executive on “energy security.” In addition to addressing the situation of the six former directors of Citgo detained in Venezuela. Of them, five are US citizens and one is a permanent resident of the United States.
Guaidó
Asked by Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio, Nuland indicated that US officials moved to Venezuela for various reasons. These include visiting and checking on the welfare of imprisoned Americans, and bringing the Venezuelan government back to the negotiating table with the opposition.
In that sense, he stressed that the US administration believes that if Maduro agrees to return to negotiations it would be good for the opposition’s objectives.
Faced with another question from Rubio, of Cuban origin, the US official stressed that the United States continues to recognize the leadership of Juan Guaidó.
“Do we recognize him as president of Venezuela? Is that our official position? ”Insisted the Republican senator. To which Nuland replied with a terse “it is.”
Mature
Maduro confirmed on Monday a meeting with a high-level US delegation, to which he conveyed his willingness to “advance an agenda that allows well-being and peace.”
That same day, the Venezuelan president announced that he had decided to “very strongly reactivate the process of national dialogue” with all political factors” in the country. Although he did not detail whether that resolution implies resuming the negotiating table with the opposition that was suspended in October.
The Venezuelan government and the opposition agreed to the negotiating table in Mexico in August 2021, but it has been suspended since October following the extradition to the United States of Colombian businessman Alex Saab, an alleged figurehead for Maduro.
In recent days, the US media have assured that the Biden administration is evaluating the possibility of lifting part of the oil sanctions on Venezuela with the aim of the Latin American country increasing its supply of crude oil, which might help alleviate pressure on the rise in the price of a barrel in international markets.
The United States, under the presidency of Donald Trump (2017-2021), imposed harsh economic sanctions on Venezuela in 2019, as well as on oil exports, the main Venezuelan economic engine, which Biden has maintained since his arrival at the White House in January of 2021.