CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — Venezuela’s interim leader on Thursday asked United States President Donald Trump to end punitive sanctions and other measures aimed at the South American country, calling the two nations “friends” following the US capture and ouster of Nicolas Maduro.
In December, Trump ordered a “blockade” of sanctioned oil vessels heading to and from Venezuela. A raft of other sanctions has been applied to individuals and state entities in Caracas.
Then on 3 January, US special forces detained Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores in a daring raid, bringing them to the US to stand trial on criminal charges.
“Let the blockade and sanctions against Venezuela end now,” interim leader Delcy Rodriguez said in a speech on state television. “President Trump, as friends, as partners, we are opening a new agenda of cooperation with the United States.”
Since Maduro was removed from power, Rodriguez — his onetime vice president — has worked closely with the US, and passed an amnesty law to help accelerate the thaw in Venezuela’s ties with the broader West.
She has received the new US chief of mission in Caracas, the head of the Central Intelligence Agency and the chief of the US military command responsible for Latin America and the Caribbean.
The US Treasury has eased a seven-year-old oil embargo on Venezuela, as part of Washington’s bid to boost oil production in the country with the world’s largest proven reserves of crude.
In recent weeks, it has issued licenses allowing a handful of multinationals to operate in Venezuela under certain conditions.
In his State of the Union address on Tuesday, Trump said the US had received more than 80 million barrels of oil from Venezuela, “our new friend and partner.”
Under pressure from Washington, Rodriguez pushed through a major reform of the country’s hydrocarbon laws, opening up the sector to private and foreign investment.