United States reactivates sanctions on Venezuela’s oil and gas sector in response to Maria Corina Machado’s candidacy disqualification

(CNN Spanish) — The United States announced this Tuesday that it will reactivate sanctions on Venezuela’s oil and gas sector, in response to the decision to disqualify the candidacy of opposition member Maria Corina Machado of Venezuela’s Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ).

According to a statement released by the United States Department of State, Washington announced its decision not to renew until April the General License 44 granted in support of the Barbados Agreement signed in October last year.

“The actions of Nicolás Maduro and his representatives in Venezuela, including the arrest of opposition members and the banning of candidates from competing in this year’s presidential election, are not consistent with the agreements reached in Barbados,” the text says.

The license that Washington issued to Venezuela’s oil and gas sector expires on April 18, 2024. This Tuesday’s decision joins the decision issued on Monday, which revokes the license authorizing the transactions with CVG Minerven (Compañía General de Minería de Venezuela). , a Venezuelan government-controlled company dedicated to gold mining. US citizens have 14 days to complete any transaction that was previously approved, even in October.

A view of the entrance to the headquarters of Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) in Caracas, taken on September 13, 2023.

“The Barbados Electoral Roadmap Agreement is the most viable mechanism for resolving Venezuela’s long-standing political, economic and humanitarian crisis and achieving competitive and inclusive elections, but it will require Maduro and his representatives to respect the Roadmap’s principles and guarantee that opposition political Actors have the right to freely choose their candidates for the 2024 presidential election,” the statement concludes.

CNN is reaching out to the Venezuelan government and affected companies for a reaction to the US decision.

Venezuela’s president, Nicolas Maduro, said this Monday that despite “threats” from the United States, the South American country’s institutions have worked.

Venezuela’s National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez issued a warning along the same lines on Monday. “We are not going to accept any kind of pressure, any kind of interference,” he said.