More gestures of reconciliation between Washington and Caracas: Americans detained in Venezuela released | Following the White House’s announcement that it is evaluating the lifting of sanctions on Venezuelan oil

Two American citizens, Imprisoned for corruption and terrorism They were released in Venezuela and arrived in the United States on Wednesday.Days later A surprise delegation from Washington meets President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas. About Gustavo CardenasFormer Vice President of State-owned PDVSA and Cuba-US subsidiary SIDCO Strategic Relations in the United States Jorge Albert Fernandez. The move is seen as a sign of goodwill after the two countries resumed talks Oil trade againAs a result of severe US sanctions against Russia.

Meeting in Caracas a The turning point in bilateral relations, in 2019, broke down The White House considered Maduro’s re-election the previous year a fraud and, like more than 50 other countries, recognized opposition leader Juan Quito as caretaker president. As a result of these elections Venezuela is under sanctions, including an oil embargo that prevents trade in crude oil. In the US market. Since then, Maduro has continued to gain Russia’s support for oil exports, which is why Washington’s sanctions on Moscow seek to isolate Vladimir Putin’s government from its Latin American allies in the wake of the Ukraine invasion.

Biden celebrates

President of the United States, Joe Biden, Wednesday celebrated the release of two U.S. citizens who were “unjustly” detained in Venezuela. This is a statement, Biden celebrated the “return home” of Gardinas and Fernandez. “These men are fathers who have lost precious time with their children and all they love, and their families suffer every day without them,” the president said.

For his part, the Secretary of State, Anthony Blingen, Confirmed the return of ex-prisoners to the country. “We extend our deepest gratitude to our many partners around the world who have joined us for his release,” Blingen added: “We continue to press for that. Release all American citizens who have been unjustly detained in Venezuela and around the world“.

Who are the liberators?

One of those released on Wednesday Gustavo Gordனாnas, ex Vice President of Strategic Relations at SIDCO, A subsidiary of PDVSA in the United States. The businessman has been in detention with five other members of the company since 2017, however, and is still in the situation for signing contracts that would “compromise national heritage.” On February 4, the Supreme Court upheld the sentences.

The second was released by Cuban-American Jorge Albert FernandezArrested in the beginning 2021 Under charges Terrorism That’s what the White House described as fake. The United States is also calling for the release of former Marine Matthew Heath, who has been detained since September 2020, on charges of spying and allegedly plotting to attack oil and electrical installations; Iron Perry and Luke Denman, two other soldiers arrested in May 2020 for a failed sea test to overthrow Maduro.

Attitude symptoms

American citizens were released after meetings this weekend, And for the first time in years, was held in Caracas by representatives of the US and Venezuelan governments. The meeting was promoted by Washington with the aim of providing Venezuela with oil to stop the US from buying from Russia. The ban was imposed by Biden in retaliation for the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“It was a very diplomatic meeting and we talked for almost two hours in a” respectful “and” friendly “environment.Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has confirmed that he will attend the meeting with his wife, Deputy Celia Flores, and Speaker of the National Assembly Jorge Rodriguez.

“The flags of the United States and Venezuela were there, and the two flags were beautiful and united.”Maduro explained that both parties had agreed to “move forward on an agenda of issues of maximum interest to Venezuela and the world.”

As US Government Spokesman, Jen Saki“The purpose of the visit is to discuss various issues, including energy and energy security,” he said. Psaki continued at a press conference Energy Dialogue and the Rule of American Prisoners ‘Private Speech’He made it clear that the United States was open to talking to the Maduro government about “various issues.”

The United States and Venezuela severed diplomatic ties in early 2019The then government Donald Trump He then ignored the order initiated by Maduro and declared himself Juan Quito in that position. At the beginning of 2021 the situation did not change, When Biden took office after Trump.

Moreover, since the inauguration of the senior Democrat leader, Washington has intensified the sanctions used against Caracas, reducing Venezuela’s oil purchases and bringing in Russian crude. As soon as the oil embargo against Russia was announced, Washington extended the mandate to appoint Venezuela. “Extraordinary and Extraordinary Threat” Negotiations began for US security, but at the same time to procure supplies from him.

Maduro is ready to sell oil to the United States

Maduro was looking forward to last Thursday Venezuela is ready to sell oil and gas to the United States. “We are ready to reach three million barrels in a short time. I invite investors from Europe, USA, Asia and South America. Venezuela has oil, the safest oil to give stability to the world, including the United StatesThen he said.

Specialist in economics and hydrocarbons, Anthony de la CruzThe newspaper promised National The U.S. delegation traveled to Caracas over the weekend Javier La Rosa is the leader of the Chevron in Venezuela And another senior executive at the company. “It’s with the intention that those 550,000 barrels that the United States imports will not have an impact on the price of a barrel, something that is already happening anyway,” de la Cruz explained. Election year will have a greater impact on the votes of Democrats because they will lose the House of Representatives and the Senate.

“Change to Democracy”

The Venezuelan opposition celebrated the “reunification” between the two countries this Wednesday, although it heard Condition for any energy deal with the Maduro government for the “democratization of the country”. “The removal of any obstacles should be a condition for Venezuela’s real progress toward transition to democracy and independence,” Juan Quito’s group wrote in a statement.

Maduro announced the re-establishment of the dialogue table with all political parties In search of economic recovery and stability in the country. “We have decided to reactivate the process of national dialogue with all political, economic and religious factors in the country. We are going to redesign a national dialogue process that is more inclusive and broader“, The Venezuelan president announced.

The Venezuelan government and the opposition agreed to a negotiating table in Mexico in August 2021, but it has been suspended since October after Maduro’s alleged businessman Alex Saab was extradited to the United States. Saab was arrested in Cape Verde in 2020 as a result of an international arrest warrant sought by the US Justice System. The businessman is facing charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering in a Miami court, for which he pleaded not guilty on Nov. 15.