‘Let’s turn the page’, Maduro calls on the US to rebuild a relationship of ‘respect’ – Venezuela – International

2023-10-19 16:53:41

The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, said he was willing this Wednesday to “rebuild” relations with the United States, regarding rapprochements with the administration of the American president, Joe Biden, translated into temporary relief of sanctions after an agreement with the opposition.

(Also read:Maduro expects a visit ‘soon’ from the ambassador designated by the US for Venezuela)

“Let’s turn the page, let’s rebuild a relationship of respect, of cooperation (…) this is my message to those in power, and to the government of the United States,” said Maduro, meeting at the presidential palace with delegates from the talks.

The president celebrated the agreements signed on Tuesday in Barbados, which contemplate the holding of presidential elections in the second half of 2024 with the presence of observers from the European Union, the United Nations and the Carter Center.

However, the dialogues with the opposition have not resolved the controversial issue of the disqualification of opponents such as María Corina Machado, favorite in the primary elections scheduled for October 22.

With relations broken since 2019 after the United States rejected Maduro’s reelection in 2018, considering it “fraudulent,” Washington has led international pressure with a battery of sanctions.

(Read also: After agreements between Caracas and Washington, the United States begins the deportation of Venezuelans)

A very important effort has been made to advance along the path of dialogue, from the times of our Commander Chávez until today. We have always acted in accordance with the Constitution and the law to move towards the recovery of the Social Welfare State, of union,… pic.twitter.com/6POTv7EyT5

— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) October 19, 2023

This Wednesday, the US Treasury announced the relief of these measures with temporary licenses for Venezuelan oil, gas and gold. The White House’s approaches, which also include an agreement on the deportation of Venezuelan migrants that was finalized with the arrival of a first plane to the Caribbean country this Wednesday, have increased due to the energy crisis caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. from February 2022.

“Venezuela with these agreements and these decisions that have been made strongly enters the oil and gas market again, progressively entering the market,” said Maduro. “I say to the United States: we have always wanted and still want relationships of respect in diversity,” remarked the president, who insisted on the definitive cessation of sanctions.

The United States hopes, meanwhile, that the Venezuelan government “defines a calendar” to lift the disqualification of candidates for the 2024 elections, the head of diplomacy Antony Blinken said in a statement this Wednesday. Blinken hopes that in the same period “all US citizens and Venezuelan political prisoners unjustly detained” in the country will begin to be released.

AFP