First modification:
The sanctions on Russian oil caused prices to climb in the North American country and led both nations of America to break the distance they have maintained for years. President Nicolás Maduro expressed that his government intends to “advance an agenda that allows well-being and peace” with the power of the continent. However, Venezuelan opponents and an influential US Democratic senator showed their surprise and asked that the dialogue not advance.
On March 7, there was a swift change in the landscape regarding bilateral relations between the United States and Venezuela after both countries confirmed meetings of diplomatic delegations in Caracas, breaking a pronounced distance that had been in force for years.
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki confirmed the meetings where direct talks were held. “The purpose of the trip to Caracas was to discuss different issues, among them, of course, energy security,” said the official.
The oil capacity of the South American country is of greater value to the United States, which will have to mitigate the consequences of import restrictions on energy from Russia and is looking for new routes to meet the demand of the population.
For his part, the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, showed enthusiasm after the conclave he held with the high-level US delegation, where he conveyed his willingness to “advance an agenda that allows well-being and peace” as long as it is “from diplomacy, respect and the greatest hope for a better world”.
In statements from the Miraflores Palace, the president said that “conversations, coordination and a positive agenda” between Washington and Caracas will continue forward.
At the meeting, which Maduro described as “respectful, cordial and very diplomatic,” the president of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, and his wife, deputy Cilia Flores, were also present.
Rejection for the rapprochement between the United States and Venezuela
The Organization of Politically Persecuted Venezuelans in Exile (Veppex) expressed its disagreement with the visit of the US diplomatic delegation to Caracas to meet with Nicolás Maduro.
The entity, which has headquarters in Miami, said in a statement that it is contradictory “to manifest the illegitimacy and criminality of the regime and then meet with it seeking trade agreements.”
For the group of exiles, this implies the recognition of the figure of Maduro as president of Venezuela and “obvious his criminal career as a drug trafficker and violator of human rights.”
Veppex considers that the North American country “wasting its time trying to negotiate with Maduro.”
The democratic aspirations of the Venezuelan people, like the courage of the Ukrainian people, are worth much more than a few thousand barrels of oil. My statements about alleged negotiations of the Administration with the Maduro regime⬇️https://t.co/LtO65mRc4s
— Senator Bob Menendez (@SenatorMenendez) March 8, 2022
Meanwhile, Democratic US Senator Bob Menéndez also expressed his “strong” opposition to the rapprochement between the White House and the Miraflores Palace, arguing that sanctions against Venezuela should not be relaxed to combat oil problems.
“The democratic aspirations of the Venezuelan people, as well as the determination and courage of the people of Ukraine, are worth much more than a few thousand barrels of oil,” he said in a statement.
The senator, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, reacted in this way to the alleged intention of the Biden Administration to lift some sanctions on the Venezuelan oil sector.
In his letter, he made known his “serious concerns” that the negotiations lead to “perpetuating a humanitarian crisis that has destabilized Latin America and the Caribbean for a generation.”
“I clearly and adamantly oppose any effort to line the pockets of the oligarchs of the Maduro regime while the Venezuelan people continue to be deprived of their human rights, freedoms and basic needs,” he concluded.
with EFE