Once again, the Government of the United States made gestures in favor of the Government of Nicolás Maduro and the oil industry. This time, he announced the temporary authorization of some transactions of four US firms with Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA)
(Also read: The US agrees to the release of funds from Venezuela: what must Maduro give in exchange?)
These transactions were prohibited since November 2018 and, now, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) authorized, until November 19, certain operations of the companies Halliburton, Schlumberger Limited, Baker Hughes Holdings and Weatherford International.
The United States has applied sanctions against Venezuela, including the prohibition of access to the US financial system, the freezing of bank accounts and other assets of the Government of Nicolás Maduro and the blockade of hydrocarbon imports from PDVSA.
The transactions and activities authorized in Tuesday’s announcement include those necessary for “the limited maintenance of essential operations in Venezuela or the gradual termination of operations in Venezuela” and for “guarantee the safety of personnel or the integrity of operations and assets in Venezuela“OFAC said in a statement.
(You may be interested: Another prisoner died in custody for a PDVSA plot: Juan Almeida, operator of El Aissami)
Likewise, “participation in shareholder meetings and boards of directors, payment of third-party invoices for authorized transactions and activities, local tax payments and salary payments to employees and contractors in Venezuela” are authorized.
The statement notes that this decision does not authorize “the drilling, extraction or processing, purchase or sale, transportation or shipment of petroleum or any petroleum product of Venezuelan origin.
The ban on participation in the design, construction, installation, repair or improvements “of any well or other facilities or infrastructure in Venezuela, or “the purchase or provision of any goods or services except those required for security” is maintained.
OFAC also clarified that the authorization does not include “any transaction related to the export or re-export to Venezuela of diluents, directly or indirectly.”
ANA RODRIGUEZ BRAZON
WEATHER CORRESPONDENT
CARACAS
With information from Efe
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