Ineligibility of Maduro’s opponent violates agreement between the countries that allowed the export of Venezuelan oil
President Joe Biden’s government will reimpose sanctions on Venezuela’s energy sector if the country maintains the ban on María Corina Machado, Nicolás Maduro’s main opponent, from running for president, US officials said this Monday (29.Jan.2024) .
In an interview with Bloomberg, officials stated that Biden will not renew General License 43, which authorizes the purchase of Venezuelan oil by the United States. The license will remain in effect until April 18.
According to the North American website, there is the possibility of implementing additional punitive measures against Venezuela.
The US is reviewing the suspension of sanctions agreed in October, when the North American country agreed to ease commercial punishments on Venezuela’s oil sector in exchange for free and internationally monitored presidential elections in 2024.
On Friday (January 26), however, the Supreme Court of Venezuela confirmed the ineligibility of María Corina Machado, candidate opposing the Nicolás Maduro regime. In October 2023, she won the opposition’s primary elections to face the Venezuelan president in this year’s presidential election, which has yet to be held.
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the South American country’s Supreme Court decision “contradicts the commitment made by Nicolás Maduro’s representatives to organize fair presidential elections in 2024”.
Other South American countries also condemned the decision. This is the case of Ecuador, Argentina, and Uruguay. The latter said that he observes with “big concern” as “judicial disqualifications” of political opponents, while Argentina regretted Corina’s ineligibility decision.
Source: https://www.poder360.com.br/internacional/eua-restabelecerao-sancoes-contra-venezuela-diz-jornal/
