US: will not renew easing of Venezuela oil sanctions unless progress is made

The U.S. will not renew a temporary license set to expire on Thursday that widely eased sanctions on Venezuela’s oil and gas sector, a State Department spokesperson said, unless progress is made by President Nicolas Maduro on commitments for free and fair elections this year.
The U.S. has been concerned about Venezuela’s electoral process and what it sees as Maduro’s failure to meet his main promises for the July 28 presidential elections.
“Absent progress by Maduro and his representatives in terms of implementing the road map’s provisions, the United States will not renew the license when it expires on April 18, 2024,” the spokesperson said on Monday.
The Biden administration holds out little hope that Maduro will make enough concessions before Thursday’s deadline to satisfy U.S. demands. U.S. and Venezuelan officials met secretly in Mexico last Tuesday, but a source familiar with the talks said they made little or no progress on narrowing their
differences.