The US government on Monday pulled back part of the sanctions relief it granted Venezuela last year, following through on its threat after the South American country's highest court blocked the presidential candidacy of an opposition leader. The Department of the Treasury gave companies transacting with Venezuela's state-owned mining company until February 13 to wind down operations. The department had allowed transactions with the mining company in October after the government of President Nicols Maduro reached an agreement with the US-backed opposition faction to work toward levelling the playing field ahead of the presidential election. On Friday, however, the prospect of a free presidential election was dealt a heavy blow when the country's highest court upheld a ban on the candidacy of Mara Corina Machado, a longtime government foe and winner of the primary held by the opposition. Machado, a former lawmaker, won the opposition's independently run presidential primary with more
In response to Venezuela's government and a faction of its opposition formally agreeing to work together to reach a series of basic conditions for the next presidential election, the US agreed Wednesday to temporarily suspend some sanctions on the country's oil, gas and gold sectors. Tuesday's agreement between President Nicols Maduro's administration and the Unitary Platform came just days before the opposition holds a primary to pick its candidate for the 2024 presidential election. The US Treasury issued a six-month general license that would temporarily authorise transactions involving Venezuela's oil and gas sector, another that authorizes dealings with Minerven the state-owned gold mining company and it removed the secondary trading ban on certain Venezuelan sovereign bonds. The ban on trading in the primary Venezuelan bond market remains in place, Treasury says. Brian E. Nelson, Treasury's under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said the US welcomes the .
Diplomats from 20 countries gathered Tuesday in Colombia to discuss the political crisis in Venezuela, where Nicols Maduro's socialist administration has strengthened its autocratic rule despite international efforts to expand political freedoms in the South American nation. The conference was hosted by Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who has called for sanctions on Venezuela's government to be lifted, but also for policies that ensure more democracy in Venezuela. Following the five-hour-long meeting, Colombian foreign affairs minister Alvaro Leyva read a brief statement in which he said the participating nations agreed it is necessary for Venezuela's government and opposition parties to set an electoral calendar that ensures free and fair conditions for all involved. Levya also said there was consensus around lifting sanctions if there's progress in negotiations over Venezuela's political future. Delegates from the United States, the European Union, Brazil and the United Kingdo
The United Nations said on Wednesday that almost three-quarters of the six million Venezuelan migrants currently in Latin America do not have adequate food, shelter, employment or medical care. The UN's International Organisation for Migration said in a report that 4.37 million of the Venezuelans who fled to other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean often live on the streets or inadequate housing, and often go hungry. Latin America and the Caribbean host 84 per cent of the estimated total of about 7 million Venezuelans who emigrated in recent years. The IOM and the UN refugee agency said that half of the Venezuelans in Latin America can't afford three meals a day. Many are forced to turn to sex work to meet their basic needs, the report said. Other take out informal loans or turn to begging. In Colombia, one of the countries that has received the largest number of Venezuelans, 29 per cent of Venezuelan children between the ages of 6 and 17 are not enrolled in ...
Venezuela this week is rolling out larger-denomination banknotes as hyperinflation batters the crisis-stricken South American country's bolivar currency
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A Treasury representative said the delisted entities had committed to cease involvement in the Venezuelan oil sector as long as Maduro, who is accused of rigging his 2018 re-election, remains in power
Horizontal never completed the wells, its financial backer took a provision for losses on the loan, and Venezuela's production continued to fall
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A compilation of the current situation in Venezuela, and likely developments ahead
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a stern statement, warning Venezuelan authorities 'not to use lethal force against demonstrators.'
EU takes sides against Maduro in Venezuela's power struggle
Maduro gave American diplomats three days to leave the country, but the Trump administration refused to obey his order, arguing that the leftist leader was no longer Venezuela's legitimate president
Britain, France, Germany and Spain told Maduro that he had eight days to organise elections or they would recognise opposition leader Juan Guaido as interim president
The US, on the other hand, ordered non-emergency embassy staff to leave Venezuela
The president also urged other governments of the Americas to recognise Guaido as Venezuela's interim head of state
President Nicolas Maduro says the country is the victim of an 'economic war' waged by opposition businesses with the support of Washington