U.S. Officials Travel to Venezuela, a Russia Ally, as the West Isolates Putin

[Uncle Joe]

Senior U.S. officials are traveling to Venezuela on Saturday to meet with the government of President Nicolás Maduro, according to people familiar with the matter, as the Biden administration steps up efforts to separate Russia from its remaining international allies amid a widening standoff over Ukraine.

The trip is the highest-level visit by Washington officials to Caracas, Venezuela’s capital, in years. The United States broke off diplomatic relations with Mr. Maduro and closed its embassy in Caracas in 2019, after accusing the authoritarian leader of electoral fraud. The Trump administration then tried to topple Mr. Maduro’s government by sanctioning Venezuelan oil exports and the country’s senior officials, and by recognizing the opposition leader, Juan Guaidó, as Venezuela’s lawful president.

Mr. Maduro responded to the sanctions by seeking economic and diplomatic help from Russia, as well as from Iran and China. Russian energy companies and banks have been instrumental in allowing Venezuela to continue exporting oil, the country’s biggest source of foreign currency, despite the sanctions, according to U.S. officials, Venezuelan officials and businessmen.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has prompted the United States to pay closer attention to President Vladimir V. Putin’s allies in Latin America, which Washington believes could become security threats if the standoff with Russia deepens, according to current and former U.S. officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive policy matters.

(snip)

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/05/world/americas/us-venezuela-oil-russia.html

[enid602]

1. sanctions

Ironically, Venezuela was the first country we applied horrific sanctions to, mainly because we did not care for their form of government. I was in Buenos Aires the first night that Argentine hotels and restaurants could no longer accept Venezuelan credit cards. And these were just US sanctions; imagine (as in the case of Russia) that the whole world was imposing them.

[qazplm135]

2. If I were Venezuela

I'd recognize that Russia isn't going to be in any position to assist anyone.

Venezuela has two choices left: China or US.
Might be a time to recalculate choices.

[OnDoutside]

4. Yup, and put Iran into that category too.

[Champion Jack]

3. Venezuela has a lot of oil.....Just sayin'

[SweepPicker]

5. What Jack said...

[orwell]

6. It is heavy crude...

...but they do have an ocean of it.