The government of United States assured this Tuesday that it has not changed its policy towards Venezuelaafter the visit last weekend by two US officials to discuss “energy security” with the Executive of Nicholas MaduroIn the midst of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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This was stated by the Undersecretary for Political Affairs of the State Department, Victoria Nuland, in an appearance before the Committee on Foreign Relations of the US Senate, where she was asked about 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” and address the situation of the six former directors of Citgo (a subsidiary of the Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA) detained in Venezuela, of whom five are US citizens and one permanent resident in Venezuela. USA
Asked by Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio, Nuland indicated that US officials traveled to Venezuela for “several reasons,” including visiting and checking on the well-being of “imprisoned Americans” and bringing the Venezuelan government back to the table. negotiations with the opposition.
In this sense, he stressed that the US Administration believes that if Maduro agrees to return to the negotiations it would be a good thing for the opposition’s objectives.
Faced with another question about Rubio, of Cuban origin, the US official stressed that the US continues to recognize the leadership of the Venezuelan opposition leader 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”.
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 “reactivate the national dialogue process with great force” with “all the political factors” in the country, although he did not specify whether that resolution implies returning to the negotiating table with the opposition that was suspended last October.
The Venezuelan government and the opposition agreed to the negotiating table in Mexico in August 2021, but it has been suspended since October, after the extradition to the United States of Colombian businessman Álex Saab, alleged figurehead of 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 could 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.
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