Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro indicated that the Trump administration’s revocation of Chevron’s oil license has disrupted deportation flights for Venezuelan migrants in the U.S. This decision has led to internal conflicts within the Trump administration and potential economic repercussions for Venezuela, costing it over $3 billion annually. Maduro criticized the revocation while Ecuador’s President condemned his lack of empathy for those fleeing the crisis.
Nicolás Maduro, the President of Venezuela, reported that recent actions taken by the Trump administration to revoke Chevron’s oil license have disrupted deportation flights from the United States. This revocation has affected the scheduled return of Venezuelans detained in the U.S., which was seen as a goodwill gesture between the two nations. Maduro stated, “Now, we have a little problem because what they did has damaged the communications we had opened.”
Reports indicate that Venezuela privately informed the U.S. that it would cease accepting deportation flights following the license revocation. This decision has caused internal conflict within the Trump administration, with some advocating for business engagement in Venezuela and others pushing for stringent isolation measures against Maduro’s government.
The arrangement concerning the repatriation of Venezuelan migrants was integral to the Trump administration’s deportation strategy, as many unauthorized migrants in the U.S. are of Venezuelan descent. The administration attributed Chevron’s expulsion to Venezuela’s noncompliance with electoral obligations and a slowdown in deportation efforts, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio noting Chevron was financially supporting the Maduro regime.
Three Republican lawmakers—Mario Diaz-Balart, Carlos Gimenez, and Maria Elvira Salazar—were influential in the decision to revoke the license. Their pressure on President Trump reportedly centered around their votes on a recent budget deal and his need for their support to move forward with the administration’s initiatives.
Maduro criticized this decision, forecasting a significant decrease in revenue for Venezuela, estimating losses of over $3 billion annually due to the reduced oil production linked with Chevron’s exit, which accounted for roughly 250,000 barrels per day. He remarked, “If it were up to me, Chevron would stay 100 more years,” positioning his government’s approach as a resistance against “imperialism and colonialism.”
Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa condemned Maduro, expressing in a social media post that Maduro displayed a “complete lack of empathy” for Venezuelans fleeing the crisis, which he characterized as a behavior typical of authoritarian regimes.
In conclusion, the revocation of Chevron’s oil license by the Trump administration has had significant repercussions for the deportation policy concerning Venezuelan migrants. Amidst internal conflicts over U.S. foreign policy, Maduro’s government has faced challenges in repatriating its citizens. Economic implications are severe, with predictions of substantial revenue loss affecting Venezuela’s already fragile economy. Additionally, international criticism of Maduro’s handling of the situation underscores concerns regarding his governance and its effects on citizens fleeing dire conditions.
Original Source: www.latintimes.com
