Maduro seeks end to all sanctions before elections

Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro said today he wants all US sanctions against Venezuela lifted and control of US-based refiner Citgo returned to state-run PdV before holding more talks with the opposition for open elections.

In a pair of fiery speeches on Wednesday Maduro criticized an agreement his government entered into over the weekend to resume talks in exchange for a limited loosening of sanctions that would allow Chevron to sell some Venezuelan crude. The agreement will not allow for any payments to the government directly but helps fund a UN-administered program to provide food, medicine and other humanitarian goods to Venezuela.

Government and opposition leaders met in Mexico City briefly over the weekend to announce a restart to talks.

"They want free elections?" Maduro said in a speech to government officials and the press today. "Ok, elections free of all sanctions!"

He also demanded Citgo be returned "free and clear" to Venezuelan control, including millions of dollars in profits it has made since 2019.

Maduro's demands, combined with harsh words for the largest opposition group involved in the renewed talks, Plataforma Unitaria, belie any notion the recent moves were signs of a more conciliatory tone from the Venezuelan government. He called the group "right-wing, coup plotter, interventionist, pro-gringo and terrorists," and accused it of trying to assassinate him.

Any backtracking on the agreement is likely to lead to calls from the US Congress on the administration of President Joe Biden to rescind the recently granted Chevron licenses to resume some activities in the country.

By Carlos Camacho