United States officials met with representatives of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in Mexico this week to express concerns about Venezuela's electoral process, a White House official said Friday.
The secret meeting was held as the April 18 deadline approaches for the United States to decide whether to reimpose sanctions on Venezuela's oil industry in response to what Washington sees as Maduro's failure to meet commitments to free elections and fairs later this year.
The Biden administration has promised to reinstate oil sanctions it lifted in October unless Maduro makes progress in fulfilling his promises for the July 28 presidential election.
Maduro's government created major obstacles to opposition participation, including banning the main candidate, Maria Corina Machado, from running.
“The purpose was to express our concerns about Venezuela’s electoral process,” a White House National Security Council (NSC) spokesperson said of the meeting.
Daniel Erikson, White House senior director for Western affairs, led the US delegation at the talks, which were held on Tuesday (9) in Mexico City.
The NSC spokesperson declined to provide details about the discussions, including whether participants talked about sanctions on OPEC member Venezuela, or whether any progress had been made and differences narrowed.
Venezuela's Information Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
US President Joe Biden's advisers are still discussing a range of options ahead of the expiration on Thursday of a temporary US license that allowed Venezuela to freely sell its oil, according to sources familiar with the matter. .
No final decision has been made, the sources said.
The US granted partial sanctions relief in October in response to an election agreement reached in Barbados between Maduro's government and the opposition. The agreement included the right of the opposition to choose its own presidential candidate.
The Biden administration's diplomatic engagement with Maduro and the easing of US sanctions marked a major shift from former President Donald Trump's “maximum pressure” policy.
Weighing into the U.S. deliberation are concerns about whether reimposing sanctions on Venezuela's energy sector could spur higher global oil prices and increase the number of Venezuelan migrants heading to the U.S.-Mexico border.
The U.S. in January reimposed some non-energy sanctions after Venezuela's Supreme Court upheld Machado's election ban over what it said was her support for sanctions and corruption charges, which she denies. Washington also condemned the detentions of opposition activists by Venezuelan authorities.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
