US, Venezuela reach deal to ease sanctions, free prisoners
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According to US sources, the US will only provide limited sanctions relief and a majority of the "maximum pressure" policies imposed by former president Donald Trump in 2019 would stay in place.
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Venezuelan President of the National Assembly Jorge Rodriguez, left, shakes hands with Venezuelan opposition delegate Gerardo Blyde Perez in Mexico City, Aug. 13, 2021 (AP)
Venezuela's government and opposition will resume talks this week after nearly a year, the two sides said on Monday, while sources said the US reached a preliminary agreement to ease sanctions if President Nicolas Maduro keeps his promises about a 2024 election.
Two anonymous sources in Washington told Reuters that Maduro's representatives and the opposition are expected to sign an election agreement this week, and the US would quickly follow that with lifting sanctions.
The sources indicated that the steps would only involve limited sanctions relief and a majority of the "maximum pressure" policies imposed by former president Donald Trump in 2019 would stay in place.
The US has sanctioned Venezuela since it claimed his election in 2018 was a sham and accused President Maduro of being anti-democratic and numerous human rights violations.
On Sunday, the opposition will have a primary to select its 2024 candidate.
Earlier, a poll conducted by Data Viva, a data and information analysis company, showed that the current Venezuelan President is "the preferred candidate among voters."
The government and opposition last year agreed to the use of $3 billion in frozen assets for humanitarian needs via a United Nations-run fund that is not yet operational.
On October 6, Venezuela's authorities announced their intention to arrest Juan Guaido, the opposition leader who was exiled to the United States over corruption, The New York Times reported.
Attorney General Tarek William Saab revealed that the country's Public Ministry had formally requested a warrant for Guaido's arrest for misappropriating resources from the state-owned oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela, for personal gain, resulting in a financial loss of $19 billion to the Venezuelan government.
During a meeting held at the Miraflores Palace with senior government and military officials to discuss the population's well-being, Maduro praised the remarkable progress achieved by Venezuela this year in various fields.
Maduro highlighted notable positive trends in trade, agriculture, industry, and tourism, with a significant impact on the country's economy, especially in the last months of 2023, despite the sanctions imposed by Washington on Venezuela since 2014, which Maduro has repeatedly called for lifting.
