The possible authorization would mark a turn in Washington’s pressure strategy and could benefit PDVSA key partners.
Miami, United States. – The administration of President Donald Trump is considering granting special permits to strategic partners of the Venezuelan state Bloomberg.
The newspaper The Wall Street Journal He was the first to advance the information, which would imply a remarkable turn in the sanctions policy that Washington has applied to the regime of Nicolás Maduro since the beginning of the republican mandate.
Although no official decision has been confirmed, a senior state department official declared that they cannot “pronounce on any concrete permission to one or more PDVSA members”, but emphasized that “USA would not allow President Nicolás Maduro to take advantage of the sale of crude.”
The contemplated authorization would allow energy companies to make payments to contractors of oil deposits to import necessary supplies that guarantee the operation of their operations, they indicated two of the sources mentioned by Bloomberg. In practice, this would mean a partial reactivation of Chevron’s activity in the Caribbean country, although under strict restrictions.
Chevron spokesman Bill Turhenne said in a statement that “Chevron carries out his businesses worldwide in accordance with the laws and regulations applicable to his business, as well as with the sanctions frameworks provided by the United States government, even in Venezuela.”
At the beginning of this year, the Trump administration revoked the license that allowed Chevron to extract oil in Venezuelan territory, as part of a more aggressive offensive against Maduro’s regime. This measure It was supported by the Secretary of State, Marco Rubioknown for its inflexible position against the Venezuelan regime.
The discussion about possible concessions comes days after A controversial exchange of prisoners between the United States and Venezuelain which an American citizen was condemned by the murder of three people in a law firm in Madrid. Washington defended the operation, although it has generated criticism inside and outside the country.
In February, Trump announced the cancellation of multiple operation licenses in Venezuela, including Chevron’s, and set the end of May to close all activities. In spite of this, the State Department – which in May blocked an attempt by the presidential envoy Richard Grenelll to expand the licenses – continues to evaluate “specific conditions” to allow new authorizations without being translated into income for the Venezuelan government. It is not ruled out that the Secretary of State himself revokes the initiative or modifies the scope of permits at the last moment.
If Chevron is approved – with Houston headquarters – it could reactivate production in its Venezuelan facilities, which would also mean an injection of currencies into the beaten economy of the South American country.
Chevron’s license has been an internal friction point in American foreign policy. While figures like Marco Rubio bet on an “extreme pressure”, other sectors, represented by Richard Grenelll, propose a more transactional route that contemplate strategic concessions.
The single possibility of flexibility caused a slight correction in the markets: this Thursday, oil futures reduced part of their profits, given the potential of an increase in global offer. The Brent crude, international reference, rose just 0.1%, located at $ 68.57 a barrel.
