Russia crisis sends U.S. officials to Venezuela to meet with Maduro

Top U.S. officials traveled to Caracas over the weekend to gauge whether the Venezuelan government of Nicolás Maduro might be willing to distance itself from Russia over the invasion of Ukraine, in exchange for an easing of U.S. sanctions on its oil sector.

A source familiar with the talks confirmed on Sunday to McClatchy and the Miami Herald that the meeting occurred, but did not provide details. Reuters reported that the sides made little progress in their first meeting, which included a top White House official and Maduro. The New York Times first reported about the meeting.

The United States has supported the opposition to Maduro’s government, and formally severed diplomatic ties in 2019. But the meeting suggests that the White House is willing to engage after years of stalemate.

The Biden administration has grown increasingly concerned that rising tensions with Moscow could spill over into Latin America, where Russian President Vladimir Putin has cultivated strong relationships with several governments – including Maduro and Miguel Díaz-Canel in Cuba – in recent years.

White House officials also see Venezuela, with some of the largest oil reserves in the world, as a potential release valve in an energy crisis propelled by Russia’s war, the Times reported.

A deal reached directly between the United States and Maduro would be a drastic departure from the previous U.S. policy towards Venezuela of backing and recognizing opposition leader Juan Guaido as the legitimate president of the South American country. Guaido’s position could be severely weakened if Washington decides to come to terms with Maduro and lift oil sanctions.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday said the Biden administration was engaged in discussions to ban Russian energy imports “as we speak.”

“We are now in very active discussions with our European partners about banning the import of Russian oil to our countries while, of course, at the same time maintaining a steady global supply of oil,” Blinken said on NBC’s Meet the Press.

Reuters on Sunday reported that both sides outlined hardline positions that have kept the two nations at odds for over five years.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis criticized the Biden administration for engaging with Maduro.

“It is wrong for the Biden administration to beg for oil from Venezuela & legitimize Maduro’s communist regime during an official visit,” DeSantis wrote on Twitter. “The U.S. should hold Maduro accountable while increasing domestic energy production so we won’t need to rely on hostile regimes for energy.”

While being one of the few heads of state around the world that have publicly supported Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Maduro has also been giving signals that Venezuela would be willing to send oil to the United States to offset the impact of higher prices if the sanctions imposed by Washington would be lifted.

In comments made Thursday on state-run television, Maduro attempted to both defend Putin while at the same time argue in favor of the United States doing away with the sanctions “so that Venezuela could help to provide the world with oil and gas.”