Senators Ask For Sanctions To Be Imposed On Venezuela
A group of top Senate Republican leaders have sent a letter to President Biden, urging him to block oil sanctions relief for the authoritarian Venezuelan regime.
Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska led the effort, along with six other lawmakers, expressing concern over the lack of progress made by the Venezuelan government in ensuring free and fair elections. The letter called for the revocation of General License 44, set to come up for renewal this week. The senators argued that appeasing dictators does not work and that lifting sanctions would give up crucial leverage in dealing with the oppressive regime.
According to the lawmakers, the October agreement between Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and opposition leaders, which allowed for oil and gas transactions, has not been fulfilled by the Maduro regime. In fact, the regime has cracked down on opposition leaders and imprisoned political opponents, raising doubts about their commitment to fair elections. The State Department previously stated that they would not renew the license without concrete progress from the Venezuelan government.
The agreement in question came after the Trump administration imposed heavy sanctions on Venezuela's oil industry in 2019. The sanctions were imposed after a dispute between Maduro and Juan Guaido, the opposition leader, over the 2018 presidential election.
This resulted in a sharp decline in oil imports from Venezuela to the United States. However, since the October agreement, oil imports from Venezuela have spiked, reaching nearly 5 million barrels in January.
Senator Sullivan also expressed concern over the Biden administration's approach to domestic oil production, highlighting reports that the Department of the Interior is expected to finalize regulations blocking off 13 million acres of land across the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. This move would effectively prevent any resource development in the area, despite it being one of the world's most prolific oil basins.
Sullivan criticized the administration's energy policy, calling it a "failure" that is "targeting Alaska" with over 60 actions, including this potential new regulation. He also mentioned the lack of consultation with impacted Alaska Native communities. When contacted, the White House did not provide a response.
The letter to President Biden was also signed by Senators James Risch of Idaho, John Barrasso of Wyoming, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Pete Ricketts of Nebraska, and Marco Rubio and Rick Scott of Florida. They all expressed concern over the potential consequences of lifting sanctions on the Maduro regime and pleaded with the president to not give up crucial leverage in dealing with authoritarian governments.
They pointed out the lack of progress made by the Venezuelan government in ensuring free and fair elections, despite an agreement made last year. The senators also criticized the Biden administration's approach to domestic oil production, highlighting potential regulations that would prevent resource development in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. The White House did not provide a response when contacted for comment.