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U.S. Officials Travel to Venezuela, a Russia Ally, as the West Isolates Putin
Senior U.S. officials are traveling to Venezuela on Saturday to meet with the government of President Nicolás Maduro, according to people familiar with the matter, as the Biden administration steps up efforts to separate Russia from its remaining international allies amid a widening standoff over Ukraine.
The trip is the highest-level visit by Washington officials to Caracas, Venezuelas capital, in years. The United States broke off diplomatic relations with Mr. Maduro and closed its embassy in Caracas in 2019, after accusing the authoritarian leader of electoral fraud. The Trump administration then tried to topple Mr. Maduros government by sanctioning Venezuelan oil exports and the countrys senior officials, and by recognizing the opposition leader, Juan Guaidó, as Venezuelas lawful president.
Mr. Maduro responded to the sanctions by seeking economic and diplomatic help from Russia, as well as from Iran and China. Russian energy companies and banks have been instrumental in allowing Venezuela to continue exporting oil, the countrys biggest source of foreign currency, despite the sanctions, according to U.S. officials, Venezuelan officials and businessmen.
Russias invasion of Ukraine has prompted the United States to pay closer attention to President Vladimir V. Putins allies in Latin America, which Washington believes could become security threats if the standoff with Russia deepens, according to current and former U.S. officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive policy matters.
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https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/05/world/americas/us-venezuela-oil-russia.html
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U.S. Officials Travel to Venezuela, a Russia Ally, as the West Isolates Putin (Original Post)
Uncle Joe
Mar 2022
OP
enid602
(8,594 posts)1. sanctions
Ironically, Venezuela was the first country we applied horrific sanctions to, mainly because we did not care for their form of government. I was in Buenos Aires the first night that Argentine hotels and restaurants could no longer accept Venezuelan credit cards. And these were just US sanctions; imagine (as in the case of Russia) that the whole world was imposing them.
qazplm135
(7,447 posts)2. If I were Venezuela
I'd recognize that Russia isn't going to be in any position to assist anyone.
Venezuela has two choices left: China or US.
Might be a time to recalculate choices.
OnDoutside
(19,948 posts)4. Yup, and put Iran into that category too.
Champion Jack
(5,378 posts)3. Venezuela has a lot of oil.....Just sayin'
SweepPicker
(266 posts)5. What Jack said...
orwell
(7,769 posts)6. It is heavy crude...
...but they do have an ocean of it.