The Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado blamed Nicolás Maduro, who was sworn in as president on January 10 after his disputed reelection, for the U.S. government's decision to end the license that allowed the oil company Chevron to operate in the Caribbean country.
In an interview with the digital media La Gran Aldea, Machado stated: "They told him, he signed an agreement, and the things (sanctions) were lifted, and what did he do? He violated what he signed, who is to blame for the sanctions being reinstated? It's Nicolás Maduro, and people know it."
The former congresswoman highlighted that the economic situation in Venezuela is already extremely difficult, asserting that the revenues obtained from oil operations are used to repress the population. She also urged the international community to take collaborative action to address the crisis in the country.
On the other hand, the president of the Venezuelan Parliament, chavista Jorge Rodríguez, urged that those who have promoted sanctions against Venezuela should be punished with prison sentences and political disqualification. He referred to the existence of the 'Organic Law Liberator Simón Bolívar,' approved last November, which provides severe penalties for those involved in foreign sanctions.
Venezuelan Executive Vice President Delcy Rodríguez attributed Washington's decision to revoke Chevron's license to the "extremism lobby," referring to anti-chavism. The departure of the oil company represents an economic blow to Venezuela, as it had contributed to the reactivation of oil production, which recently surpassed one million barrels per day for the first time since 2019.
The end of Chevron's license is part of the pressures from the United States on Maduro's government, which had previously been criticized for its handling of issues such as the deportation of undocumented migrants to the U.S. Both the Venezuelan government and the opposition have expressed divergent views regarding the implications of these measures on the economy and politics of the country.
