Maduro hails initial steps taken by US to lift sanctions

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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro hailed the "small but significant steps taken by the United States to grant licenses to oil companies to operate in Venezuela" as part of an economic sanctions relief package for Caracas.

"A week ago, the United States took small but significant steps by granting licenses to Chevron (US), Eni (Italy), and Repsol (Spain) to begin the process of producing gas and oil for export in Venezuela," Maduro said in an interview with Argentine radio station.

Gracias al compañero @atilioboron por invitarme a su programa “Diálogo Internacional”. Estuvimos conversando sobre la geopolítica actual y la resistencia histórica que ha tenido el pueblo venezolano para enfrentar el bloqueo criminal por parte de los EE. UU. pic.twitter.com/84kAjFdJcO

— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) June 5, 2022

The US did not recognize Maduro's 2018 re-election. The year before, Washington imposed batches of sanctions against Venezuela, including an oil embargo.

Individuals were sanctioned, bank accounts were frozen, and US businesses and citizens were barred from doing business with dozens of Venezuelan figures between 2017 and 2018.

On May 17, the US reportedly eased some sanctions on Venezuela “to restart talks between Maduro and the opposition”, which had been stalled since October.

However, after three years of political stalemate that has seen Venezuela's economic and social conditions deteriorate dramatically due to US batches of illegal sanctions on the country, Washington’s thirst for oil pushes Biden’s administration to negotiate with his opponents.

US thirst for Russian oil exposed that America is at odds with its policy, exerting strained efforts to find an alternative for Russian oil amid the global energy crisis.