US Refutes Possibility of Further Easing on Venezuelan Sanctions

The US government is not planning a systematic easing of sanctions on Venezuela according to the US State Department, after a recent softening in stance which is allowing oil flows to the US and Europe.

• In November, Washington issued a six-month license to Chevron allowing it to expand operations and export Venezuelan oil to the US. Eni and Repsol also began taking Venezuelan crude for debt with US approvals.
• "There have been limited changes in specific sanctions and we can take them back in any moment," a State Department official said.
• "I can categorically say that we don't have any plans to liberalize further on Venezuela," said the State Department official, stressing: "In this moment, there are no plans to ease the sanctions more."
• Chevron received and shipped about 86,000 bpd of Venezuelan crude last month after resuming exports to the United States following a four-year hiatus.
• Rosneft announced this week plans to develop oil discoveries in Venezuela – a move which may draw a harsher stance by the US as it seeks to crush Kremlin revenues.