“We are very much focused on finding a democratic path forward in Venezuela and promoting competitive elections,” said Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols in a recent interview:
“As part of that process, the United States has offered sanctions relief to incentivize a more competitive election in Venezuela. Unfortunately, some of the steps that the Maduro side had agreed to undertake under the Barbados Agreement - they did not meet those requirements.”
In violation of the 2023 Barbados Agreement, the Maduro government barred certain opposition candidates from running for president in 2024 and continued a crackdown on political activists and members of civil society.
As a result, said Assistant Secretary Nichols, “We were forced to suspend General License 44 on oil and gas, issuing a new license, General License 44A, which provides a 45-day winding down period.”
“But we’re also still very much engaged in the process of supporting a competitive election. The selection of a unified opposition candidate in Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia and his acceptance by the electoral authorities in Venezuela is a very important positive step,” he said. “The agreement on international observation in Venezuela, with the European Union and the Carter Center in particular observing, is another positive step. We hope to see continued other positive steps, and we remain open to reciprocating to those positive steps going forward.”
Assistant Secretary Nichols emphasized the importance of the present opportunity to increase the legitimacy of governance in Venezuela. “To be responsive to the desires of the populace and the electorate is incredibly important,” he said. “And we hope that all of the stakeholders in Venezuela will move in that direction. We certainly believe that Venezuela can have a much better, more prosperous, successful, and inclusive future, if competitive elections are allowed to take place there.”
