The US reimposed sanctions after a ban blocking the candidacy of the opposition in Venezuela’s elections was upheld.
Venezuela has criticised Washington’s determination to reimpose oil and fuel sanctions and warned it might halt deportation flights for Venezuelan migrants who’re in the USA with out paperwork.
“All of Venezuela rejects the impolite and improper blackmail and ultimatum expressed by the US authorities,” Vice President Delcy Rodriguez wrote on X.
“In the event that they take the flawed step of intensifying the financial aggression towards Venezuela … as of February 13 repatriation flights for Venezuelan migrants could be instantly cancelled.”
The US started repatriating Venezuelan migrants on chartered flights in October, after a deal was struck between Nicolas Maduro and President Joe Biden for the “orderly, protected and authorized repatriation” of undocumented Venezuelan migrants.
Rodriguez mentioned that each one different areas of cooperation could be reviewed as a countermeasure to the “deliberate try to strike a blow to the Venezuelan oil and fuel trade”.
Venezuela toda rechaza el grosero e indebido chantaje y ultimátum manifestado por el gobierno de EEUU. Si dan el paso en falso de intensificar la agresión económica contra Venezuela, a pedido de los extremistas lacayos en el país, a partir del 13 de febrero quedarían revocados de… https://t.co/cLo5Di2Dck
— Delcy Rodríguez (@delcyrodriguezv) January 30, 2024
The rejection is available in response to the USA’s reimposition of sanctions on Caracas this week. Washington took motion after Venezuela’s high courtroom upheld a ban blocking the candidacy of the main opposition hopeful in a presidential election later this 12 months.
The US Division of the Treasury on Monday gave US entities till February 13 to wind down transactions with Venezuelan state-owned miner Minerven.
The US Division of State mentioned on Tuesday that Washington doesn’t plan to resume a licence that has allowed Venezuela’s oil to freely circulation to its chosen locations.
“Actions by Nicolas Maduro and his representatives in Venezuela, together with the arrest of members of the democratic opposition and the barring of candidates from competing on this 12 months’s presidential election, are inconsistent with the agreements signed in Barbados,” the State Division mentioned in an announcement.
“Absent progress between Maduro and his representatives and the opposition Unitary Platform … the USA is not going to renew the license when it expires on April 18,” the State Division mentioned, referring to Common License 44, which supplies reduction to Venezuela’s oil and fuel sector.
The US, which first imposed oil sanctions on Venezuela in 2019, had granted sanctions reduction for the OPEC member nation in October in recognition of a deal signed in Barbados with President Nicolas Maduro’s administration that included releasing political prisoners, permitting worldwide observers and setting circumstances for a good presidential election.
Venezuela is ready for any situation together with the reimposition of US sanctions on its crude and fuel exports, Oil Minister Pedro Tellechea mentioned.
The US would additionally really feel the impact of any reimposed vitality sanctions on Venezuela, Tellechea instructed reporters, including that the nation wouldn’t “kneel down” simply because somebody tried to dictate the nations with which it might do enterprise.
