The US may lift sanctions against Venezuela as early as next week
11 January 10:12
The United States may lift even more sanctions against Venezuela next week to facilitate oil sales.
This was reported by Reuters, citing US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
“We are lifting sanctions on oil that will be sold,” he said.
Bessent also said that nearly $5 billion in frozen Venezuelan cash assets in IMF special drawing rights could be used to revive the country’s economy.
When asked when sanctions could be lifted from Venezuela, Bassett replied, “It could happen as early as next week.” However, he did not specify which sanctions he was referring to.
These steps are part of the efforts of US President Donald Trump’s administration to stabilize the situation in Venezuela and encourage American oil producers to return to the country a week after US troops captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in Caracas and took him to New York, where he was charged with drug trafficking.
The US sanctions prohibit international banks and other lenders from cooperating with the Venezuelan government without a license. However, these institutions believe that the restrictions are an obstacle to restructuring the $150 billion debt, which they consider important for the return of private capital to the country.
Bessent said that representatives of the IMF and the World Bank had already contacted him regarding the issue of Venezuela. He noted that the US Treasury Department “is ready to convert Venezuela’s special drawing rights in the IMF, held by the Fund, into dollars for use in the reconstruction of Venezuela.”
