Washington has confirmed that resuming the sanctions energy against the Bolivarian revolution given the obvious non-compliance with the Barbados Agreements between government and opposition. “Nothing is going to stop us, because we are no one’s colony. The empire trying to harm us does double harm to itself,” he cried. Nicols Maduro after listening to the US Undersecretary of State, Brian Nichols.
The first consequences were known within a few minutes: the Venezuelan government terminated the immigration agreement with the United States and Jorge RodrÃguez, head of the Chavista negotiating delegation, expanded the already innumerable threats, by ensuring that Mara Corina Machado the opposition leader, would be sentenced to “capital punishment” if she were imprisoned in the United States.
The dismantling of the famous general license 44 on oil and gas transactions, decreed last October after Chavismo committed to allow free and fair elections, will be carried out gradually. The limit has been set for May 31, the deadline for foreign companies to “close” all energy production and export operations that have been carried out in these six months.
Of course, as part of the pressure for Maduro to allow the nomination of an opposition candidate, the US retains the possibility of approving certain licenses for companies that already operate in Venezuela. Since the relaxation of the energy embargo was implemented in October, the state Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) It has gone from producing 780,000 barrels a day to 877,000 thanks to the American oil company Chevrón, although in recent weeks it registered a new drop to 840,000. The Maduro regime intended to overcome the barrier of one million barrels per day thanks to the Barbados Agreements.
“The US closes the door and leaves the window open. This allows them to continue in the political negotiation while continuing to occupy spaces, or avoid abandoning them, in the largest oil mine in the world,” highlights analyst Ricardo Ros. An update of the old ‘carrot and stick’, but against a predatory leader committed to hunting and capturing opponents and dissidents.
Washington’s announcement comes 48 hours before the limit decreed by the National Electoral Council (CNE) for him change of presidential nominations manipulated from day one with the illegal and unconstitutional disqualification of Machado and the blocking of the one chosen to replace her, the philosophy Corina Yoris.
Chavismo intends to close all avenues for the opposition candidate to be the controversial governor Manuel Rosales with such little acceptance in public opinion that Maduro sees himself capable of defeating him despite the fact that 80% of the population wants immediate change.
“The United States, although it had to take this step to avoid showing weakness in the face of Chavismo, leaves room for Maduro’s rectification. But we are reaching the deadline without agreement in the Unitary Platform. So far Rosales does not have the votes to be a unitary candidate nor has Machado achieved a viable name to be registered after Yoris (the blockade). Time is running against the opposition and Chavismo seems comfortable with the current scenario. At a narrative level, the sanctions serve to maintain this narrowing of the electoral route. The challenge is to make a candidacy viable given the overwhelming willingness of the people to vote,” political consultant Luis Peche summarized for EL MUNDO.