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The Biden administration and the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro have agreed to a deal in which the U.S. would ease sanctions on Venezuela’s oil industry and the authoritarian state would allow a competitive, internationally monitored presidential election next year, according to two people familiar with the breakthrough talks.
The sanctions relief is to be announced after Maduro’s government and Venezuela’s U.S.-backed opposition sign an agreement to include commitments by the socialist government to allow a freer vote in 2024, the people said. They’re expected to do that during a meeting in Barbados on Tuesday with U.S. officials in attendance.
Maduro, who claimed victory in a 2018 election widely viewed as fraudulent, would agree to a process for lifting bans on opposition candidates running, one of the people said, though it is not clear how quickly that process would take place. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the talks.
senior administration official said the deal did not include plans to unfreeze Venezuelan assets currently held in the United States. The official declined to comment on the administration’s talks with Maduro’s government. The U.S. is likely to put a time limit on any sanctions relief so that it could be reversed if Maduro didn’t comply with his end of deal.
After this report was published, a U.S. official said the United States and Venezuela had not committed to anything between them. “The administration has been clear — we support a Venezuelan-led negotiation and are prepared to provide sanctions relief in response to concrete actions toward competitive elections.” said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity under rules imposed by the administration. The “key conversations are between the opposition and Maduro,” the official said.
Under the deal, the two people said, Maduro would commit to accepting international electoral observations and opening up media access for the elections. It was not clear if the deal would also involve the release of political prisoners in Venezuela.
The sanctions relief is to be announced after Maduro’s government and Venezuela’s U.S.-backed opposition sign an agreement to include commitments by the socialist government to allow a freer vote in 2024, the people said. They’re expected to do that during a meeting in Barbados on Tuesday with U.S. officials in attendance.
Maduro, who claimed victory in a 2018 election widely viewed as fraudulent, would agree to a process for lifting bans on opposition candidates running, one of the people said, though it is not clear how quickly that process would take place. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the talks.
senior administration official said the deal did not include plans to unfreeze Venezuelan assets currently held in the United States. The official declined to comment on the administration’s talks with Maduro’s government. The U.S. is likely to put a time limit on any sanctions relief so that it could be reversed if Maduro didn’t comply with his end of deal.
After this report was published, a U.S. official said the United States and Venezuela had not committed to anything between them. “The administration has been clear — we support a Venezuelan-led negotiation and are prepared to provide sanctions relief in response to concrete actions toward competitive elections.” said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity under rules imposed by the administration. The “key conversations are between the opposition and Maduro,” the official said.
Under the deal, the two people said, Maduro would commit to accepting international electoral observations and opening up media access for the elections. It was not clear if the deal would also involve the release of political prisoners in Venezuela.
