Biden Removes Trump Leader

Amid all of this, greater freedoms are being negotiated for oil companies, one of the issues that the U.S. delegation will discuss in the coming days.

Although it was not long ago that the U.S. State Department, via Ned Price, announced that it still did not recognize President Nicolás Maduro’s government, the departure of opposition leader and “interim president” Juan Guaidó is a move by President Joe Biden, in his personal policy on Venezuela, to remove the obstacles that stand in the way of reconciliation with the United States.

This means a course of action, as previously alluded to, influenced by Biden’s personal decisions, a president who wants to clear a potentially hazardous path that impact U.S. relations with Venezuela.

The Talks

The first topic of discussion was oil and, in particular, addressed the issue of extracting Venezuelan crude oil amid sanctions; next was extending Chevron’s license followed by the release of prisoners: two Venezuelans and former CITGO bosses. Not to mention President Biden’s two personal off-the-record conversations with President Maduro. This is a matter of facilitating negotiations between both Maduro and the opposition — in Mexico — and Maduro and Biden, our sources tell us.

Not All Is Said and Done

Not all is said and done. The road ahead is full of obstacles. There are more American prisoners in Venezuela and there is also the issue of Alex Saab.*

On the other hand, the “interim government” was one of the main points of discussion between Venezuela and the U.S.; the departure of opposition leader Guaidó was essential to advancing talks.

According to our sources, President Biden asked Guaidó to step down, which facilitated the continuation of off-record talks between Maduro and Biden, as well as the talks that took place between both nations at the beginning of the year, when representatives from the United States arrived in Venezuela.

At the Behest of Maduro

Our sources also tell us that Guaidó’s departure was at Maduro’s bequest during the talks — the exact content of which we will never know entirely — according to confidential information that we have obtained.

Thus, Guaidó stepped down and President Maduro’s administration has since been relieved of the international pressure brought about by the so-called interim government.

It is also our understanding that Guaidó stepped down at the height of criticism from national opposition.

A Smooth Way Ahead

This paves the way, therefore, for Venezuela to return to the international stage. In fact, of the countries that withdrew support for Maduro, 35 ambassadors have already returned to the country, and this number is expected to increase in the coming months.

Accordingly, the path toward resuming relations with the U.S has been made even smoother.

Greater Freedoms

Amid all of this, greater freedoms are being negotiated for oil companies, one of the issues the U.S. delegation will discuss in the coming days.

In return, however, President Maduro needs to show more openness with respect to policy with the objective of resuming relations with the U.S and reopening embassies, consulates and direct flights.

*Editor’s note: Alex Saab is a Colombian businessman under investigation by the press for conducting anaestimated $135 million in business with the Venezuelan government while other businesses had stopped exporting to

Venezuela due to economic uncertainty.