Ian Patrick, FISM News
Republicans are calling out President Biden over reports that he is considering loosening sanctions on Venezuela’s socialist government in order to resume crude exports to the U.S. while continuing to prevent domestic oil expansion.
As reported by The Wall Street Journal, the Biden administration is looking to loosen sanctions on Venezuela to allow Chevron to continue pumping oil in the region. This would then reopen the possibility of oil exports from the nation at a time when the world oil supply is suffering.
The proposal comes a day after Biden announced another release from the Strategic Oil Reserves following the decision from OPEC+ to slash its oil production.
In addition, Venezuela would have to agree to resume talks with opposition politicians on establishing an election process for 2024 that is “free and fair,” according to the Journal.
“There are no plans to change our sanctions policy without constructive steps from the [Nicolás] Maduro regime,” said Adrienne Watson, spokeswoman for the National Security Council (NSC).
Even if the deal does go through, the oil pumped by Chevron would still be limited since Venezuela’s oil-producing capabilities have been hampered by “underinvestment, corruption, and mismanagement,” writes the Journal.
The move to loosen sanctions imposed by the Trump administration has not sat well with Republican politicians, who widely see Venezuela’s current leader Nicolas Maduro as an oppressive, communist dictator. Former CIA Director Mike Pompeo called the move “unconscionably dangerous.”
Why on earth would you let Venezuela’s corrupt leader Maduro — a Russian lackey – make money by selling oil and not let freedom-loving Pennsylvanians, Kansans, Oklahomans, Texans and North Dakotans before that? Unconscionably dangerous.https://t.co/xxX3CyftnH
— Mike Pompeo (@mikepompeo) October 5, 2022
Other Republicans, including Rep. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), and Sen. Tim Scott (N.C.) expressed similar disgust at the move while suggesting the better option is to pump oil from the United States.
You’ve got to be kidding me.
Instead of pumping out clean oil from our own states, the Biden Admin is now easing sanctions on communist Venezuela to get its dirty oil.
This Admin continues to place America last and embolden our adversaries.
— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) October 6, 2022
All of this and now the WH is flirting with Venezuela for their much dirtier oil.
It’s absolutely unreal how much Biden and the Democrats hate America. https://t.co/IEHe9YWJDi
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) October 6, 2022
I have been saying for over a year that President Biden must unleash American energy to fight inflation at the pump.
1/2
— Tim Scott (@SenatorTimScott) October 7, 2022
Talks on relieving sanctions for Venezuela began in March of this year, and have gained increasing steam. Most recently, the country released seven Americans jailed in its country in exchange for two nephews of Maduro who were in U.S. prison on convictions of drug trafficking.
However, Venezuela is known to flirt with American enemies including the nation of Iran. FISM News previously reported on a deal signed between these two nations which includes cooperation on energy and defense matters.