US officials discussed with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro easing sanctions on his country in return for directing part of its oil exports to the United States, after US President Joe Biden decided to ban imports of Russian oil and gas to the American market as part of the sanctions imposed by his administration on Russia in response to the war that Launched two weeks ago on Ukraine.
An American delegation headed by the White House Senior Adviser to Latin America Juan Gonzalez and Ambassador James Storey met the Venezuelan President and Vice President Delcy Rodriguez last Saturday in Caracas, in a move aimed at ensuring additional supplies of oil to the American market, and breaking the alliance between Maduro and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Reuters quoted two sources as saying that US officials have made clear that their priority is to secure oil supplies to the United States, and that any easing of US sanctions will be conditioned on Venezuela's exporting its oil directly to the United States.
According to the sources, too, the Americans' talks with Venezuela made little progress, as Washington explored options to persuade Maduro to move away from his alliance with Putin.
During the talks, the US delegation sought guarantees of free presidential elections, broad reforms in Venezuela's oil industry, to facilitate production and exports by foreign companies, and a public condemnation of Russia's war on Ukraine by the Venezuelan government.
The US delegation also expressed its willingness to consider temporarily allowing Venezuela to use the SWIFT financial system, which facilitates financial transactions between banks around the world to transfer funds to other accounts.
In return, Maduro demanded a complete lifting of sanctions banning Venezuelan oil exports, the lifting of sanctions against him and other Venezuelan officials, and the return of state control to Citgo Petroleum, the US subsidiary of Venezuela's state oil company.
Shortly after the meeting that brought the American delegation together with the Venezuelan president, Caracas released two American citizens, one of whom had been detained for more than 4 years, and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken confirmed their arrival in their country.
And the Associated Press said that Maduro indicated - in a televised speech - his readiness to accept the demands presented by Washington in exchange for easing sanctions imposed on his country, and this includes, in a first stage, starting a dialogue with his opponents.
On Tuesday, US President Joe Biden announced a comprehensive ban on US imports of Russian oil, gas and energy products, and a ban on US investment in the Russian energy sector.
Biden said the decision has bipartisan support in Congress, and he made it in consultation with US allies in Europe and the world.