The Secretary General of OPEC reiterated that the sanctions on the country are an “unfortunate blockade (…) Sanctioning Venezuela is sanctioning the world since it prevents access to these resources”
Mohammad Barkindo, secretary general of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), promised to continue working “shoulder to shoulder” with the Maduro administration to overcome the various difficulties in the oil market.
From the Miraflores Palace, the OPEC official recalled the crises of 2015 and the one caused by the covid-19 pandemic. “You, President, worked tirelessly to help us, to persuade non-OPEC exporters to work with us (…) The name of OPEC I thank you for the profound leadership you have shown.”
#Live ? | “You were a determining factor for OPEC to return to being a coherent force, a united and solid organization. Then he made other non-OPEC countries join us,” said OPEC Secretary General Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo. pic.twitter.com/Y6tmbTeANx
— Presidential Press (@PresidentialVen) May 13, 2022
“OPEC is Venezuela. Venezuela is OPEC,” said Barkindo, who will hand over the position to Haitham Al Ghais, from Kuwait, for the period 2022-2025 in August.
During his visit to the country, the secretary general held meetings with PDVSA authorities, the Oil Minister, Tareck El Aissami, and Vice President Delcy Rodríguez. Besides visited Jose’s compoundon which he assured “extensive improvements” have been made.
He said that the mediate objective of the organization is to combat global energy poverty, “a pandemic that is not talked about as much as covid. The world needs energy and hydrocarbons or renewable energies are not going to be able to satisfy the demand. Gas and oil will continue to represent 50% of world demand by 2035 and 2050.
*Also read: PDVSA misses increase in global oil demand by producing only 775,000 bpd
The oil and gas reserves that Venezuela possesses are an asset of the international community, said Barkindo, who reiterated that the sanctions on the country are an “unfortunate blockade (…) Sanctioning Venezuela is sanctioning the world since it prevents access to these means”.
He insisted that the countries respect the organization’s principles, including that oil not be used as a “political weapon.” During the meeting, the Secretary General of OPEC was conferred the order Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda in his first class.
For his part, President Nicolás Maduro said that the country has remained firm within that institution “promoting what needs to be promoted,” and shared the view that energy resources are separated from political measures of any government, referring to Venezuela itself and Russia.
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