oleh admin | Mar 28, 2025 | foreign policy, government, military, petroleum, venezuela
GEORGETOWN, Guyana – On Thursday, high-ranking U.S. official Marco Rubio straightforwardly cautioned Venezuela about potential aggression towards oil-abundant Guyana, emphasizing the might of the United States Armed Forces as a safeguard for the tiny South American country.
Venezuela, led by the left-wing president Nicolas Maduro who is disliked by Cuban-American Rubio, has been asserting its claims over the contested Essequibo area governed by Guyana with greater frequency. The country faced accusations recently for allegedly encroaching into the territory.
“I have full confidence saying it now as secretary of state — there will be consequences for adventurism. There will be consequences for aggressive action,” Rubio told a joint news conference on a visit to Guyana.
When asked about the potential U.S. response if Venezuela were to attack ExxonMobil’s oil operations in Guyana, Rubio stated: “That would turn into a very bad week – a very bad week indeed for them.”
Abstaining from explicitly mentioning a military strategy, Rubio stated: “Our naval forces are substantial and capable of reaching nearly every corner.”
Maduro reacted furiously to the threat, labeling Rubio as an “idiot” and stating, “No one threatens Venezuela.”
During his time in Guyana, Rubio entered into an accord aimed at enhancing security collaboration between the two nations, which involves increased data exchange. This development follows several years after Guyana and the United States consented to conduct shared naval missions.
The President of Guyana, Irfaan Ali, expressed his approval of Rubio’s position, who described Venezuela’s assertions as “unlawful.”
“I am highly satisfied with the assurance from the U.S., which guarantees the protection of our territorial integrity and sovereignty,” stated Ali.
The Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil stated in aTelegram message that Venezuela does “neither require nor pursue conflicts; however, we also won’t permit foreign interests to attempt altering the truth regarding our Essequibo.”
He added, ‘Take your noses out of this dispute!’
Mauricio Claver-Carone, the U.S. special envoy for Latin America, previously stated that the United States foresaw a future “binding” security alliance with Guyana akin to the one seen in the Gulf area, wherein American forces safeguard oil-rich Arab monarchies, notably from threats posed by their bigger neighbor, Iran.
Later, Rubio went to visit nearby Suriname, where oil production has likewise seen an increase.
The US aims for an edge over China.
Guyana, an English-speaking country that was formerly a British and Dutch colony, remains home to most of its 800,000 inhabitants living in poverty. For many years now, this nation has hosted a small but persistent group advocating for Guyana’s integration into the United States.
This kind of official inclusion wasn’t part of the plan, yet Trump hasn’t hidden his enthusiasm for expanding influence in the Americas, sometimes even at the cost of long-standing partnerships.
The wealthy Republican has pledged to seize control of Greenland from Denmark and reclaim the Panama Canal, citing increasing Chinese dominance.
Even though Exxon has been dominant in the oil sector, China — considered by the Trump administration as the primary global rival — has swiftly gained ground in Guyana through various infrastructure initiatives such as upgrading the international airport which Rubio arrived at.
Trump has proposed imposing major fees on vessels linked to China, but the idea has hit opposition from US farmers as well as Caribbean nations which say they have little option and will take a hit.
Rubio stated that it was “risky for just one nation worldwide to construct all the vessels.”
However, departing from Trump’s typical hardline stance, Rubio recognized the worries expressed by Caribbean countries and mentioned that he would suggest US trade officials be aware of the dangers posed by potentially damaging relationships with American allies.
“You can be confident that we will convey your message,” Rubio stated.
Rapid oil growth
The legislature in Caracas passed a bill last year to designate the Essequibo area, comprising two-thirds of Guyana’s landmass, as Venezuela’s 24th state, an action dismissed on the global stage.
Guyana maintains that the border was established by an arbitration panel in 1899. However, Venezuela asserts that the Essequibo River to the eastern part of the area serves as a natural boundary, one they claim has been acknowledged since 1777.
ExxonMobil from Texas has become the frontrunner in offshore oil exploration, with operations expanding quickly after the significant discovery of large crude deposits in 2015.
ExxonMobil expects the total production from Guyana to reach 1.3 million barrels per day by the end of the decade, far surpassing the current output levels in Venezuela.
Under pressure from anti-communist Latino lawmakers, the Trump administration has revoked the sanction waiver for U.S. oil company Chevron, which allowed them to continue operations in Venezuela.
oleh admin | Mar 25, 2025 | economics, international economics, international trade, venezuela, world
President Donald Trump stated on Monday that Venezuela has shown “extreme hostility” towards the United States, and as of April 2nd, nations buying oil from it will have to pay tariffs on all their imports into the U.S.
These duties would probably increase the taxation burden for China, which accounted for 68% of Venezuela’s oil exports in 2023, as per a 2024 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
The report indicates that Spain, India, Russia, Singapore, and Vietnam are some of the nations also getting oil from Venezuela.
However, even the United States—despite imposing sanctions on Venezuela—continues to purchase oil from the nation. According to data from the Census Bureau, the U.S. imported approximately 8.6 million barrels of oil from Venezuela in January, which constituted part of the total imports for that month at around 202 million barrels.
On Monday, the Treasury Department granted an extension to US-based Chevron Corp., permitting them to extract and export Venezuelan oil until May 27. This extension, referred to as a general license, provides relief from economic sanctions and enables the continuation of their oil production activities.
In February, Trump declared an end to the business ties between Chevron and Venezuela, which had served as a crucial financial support for the South American nation.
The Venezuelan President, Nicolás Maduro, retaliated by stating that the U.S. had breached global commerce regulations through what he termed as an “unjustified, unlawful, and desperate action.” This move was aimed at impeding the progress of the South American country.
The government stated that for many years, the rejected far-right faction in Venezuela has advocated for economic sanctions, aiming to cripple the country.
Their failure stems from Venezuela being a sovereign nation where its people have stood firm with pride, and due to the global refusal of any economic tyranny.
The US president contends that tariffs will revive manufacturing jobs instead of exacerbating inflationary pressures and impeding economic growth, contrary to warnings from economists. He recently cited an informal example when Hyundai declared at the White House plans to construct a $5.8 billion (€5.4 billion) steel facility in Louisiana.
This investment clearly shows that tariffs are highly effective,” stated Trump, adding that the new facility being built by the South Korean carmaker will generate 1,400 employment opportunities.
The executive chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, Euisun Chung, conveyed to the president: “We feel truly honored to be alongside you and delighted to construct the future together.”
In 2024, Maduro was inaugurated for a third presidential term in Venezuela; however, both the country’s opposition groups and the European Union dismissed this swearing-in ceremony as invalid due to claims of rigged voting processes.
The former US President Joe Biden’s administration similarly condemned the “fraudulent” election and enacted fresh sanctions on Caracas. Notably, they raised the bounty to $25 million (€23.9m) for details resulting in the apprehension of the Venezuelan leader.
During Maduro’s long tenure as ruler, millions of Venezuelans have fled their homeland due to political instability, economic downturn, and severe shortages of essential supplies like food, medication, and power.
A more daring action against China?
Trump’s recent tariff threats indicate that his administration might be prepared to adopt more aggressive actions against China as part of their push to reshape the rules governing the worldwide economic system.
The Trump administration has already imposed blanket 20% tariffs on goods coming from China in an attempt to combat illegal fentanyl trafficking. However, adding yet another 25% duty on these imports might heighten the strain between the globe’s two biggest economic powers.
Trump said Venezuela will face a “secondary” tariff because it is the home to the gang Tren de Aragua. The Trump administration is deporting immigrants that it claims are members of that gang who illegally crossed into the United States.
Trump has labelled 2 April as “Liberation Day” based on his still unclear plans to roll out import taxes to match the rates charged by other countries, as well as fully levy 25% tariffs against Mexico and Canada, the two largest US trading partners.
The US President has furthermore raised the 2018 duties on steel and aluminum to 25% for every imported product and has pledged to impose extra taxes on vehicles, medical products, timber, semiconductor chips, and copper.
On Monday, the US stock market was rising as investors anticipated that the tariffs would be more precisely aimed rather than being widespread. Nevertheless, the S&P 500 index has declined year-to-date due to worries that a trade conflict might impede economic expansion and boost inflationary pressures.
However, Trump has been rather carefully guarding his intentions regarding tariffs, stating on Monday that although he aims to impose “reciprocal” charges, they “might end up being even more lenient than expected.”
oleh admin | Mar 24, 2025 | flights, immigration, migrants, news, venezuela
A plane with 199 Venezuelan immigrants arrived in Maiquetía early Monday morning, according to Venezuela’s Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, who reported this information via state-owned Venezuelan television.
After being expelled from the United States, the team came in via an airplane from Honduras.
“199 fellow countrymen and 199 Venezuelan colleagues returning to their home nation,” were aboard according to Cabello’s statement to VTV.
This flight marks the first one since Venezuelan and U.S. officials reached an agreement to restart repatriation services on Saturday. This move comes after a two-week standoff initiated when Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro halted these flights.
Maduro declined to accept planes from the U.S. transporting deportees following President Donald Trump’s declaration that he intended to revoke Chevron’s permit for exporting Venezuelan petroleum.
The Venezuelan president stated that the move impacted flights heading to Venezuela, which led officials from the Trump administration to warn about potential additional sanctions against the nation.
On Saturday, Venezuelan authorities verified that an agreement between them had been finalized.
President Jorge Rodríguez of Venezuela’s Assembly announced via social media that they have reached an agreement with the U.S. government to restart the deportation of Venezuelan immigrants, starting with a flight scheduled for this coming Sunday, March 23rd.
In his statement, Rodríguez mentioned that under the Trump administration, approximately 250 Venezuelans were deported to a maximum-security facility in El Salvador.
Trump has accused, without providing evidence, those migrants of being members of the Tren de Aragua gang — a designated US foreign terrorist organisation.
“Migration is not an offense, and we won’t stop until we ensure the return of everyone who needs it and save our brothers held captive in El Salvador,” Rodríguez stated.
The leader of Venezuela stated that President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador bears responsibility for the welfare of the Venezuelans who were deported to his nation.
“You ensure their well-being, but before long, you must surrender and set them free, as they are being held captive,” Maduro stated.
