Chris writes: "As far as I am aware, the US still forbids Venezuela from sending oil to China, Cuba and some other countries. I assume that if Venezuela tried to send oil to non-approved countries, the US navy would board the ships and steal the oil, as it did in December and January. I have not heard of any decision by the US to change this policy. This means that the naval blockade is still in effect."
There is currently no US naval blockade, and Chris provides no evidence to suggest it is. He says he believes that "US still forbids Venezuela from sending oil to China, Cuba and some other countries" and that he has "not heard of any decision by the US to change this policy" In fact US-appointed intermediaries have been offering Venezuelan oil to China since January bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-19/vitol-offers-venezuelan-crude-oil-to-china-at-narrower-discount ( https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-19/vitol-offers-venezuelan-crude-oil-to-china-at-narrower-discount ). It is China that has preferred to not buy the oil, instead opting for cheaper sanctioned oil from Russia and Iran https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/petrochina-holds-off-buying-venezuelan-oil-marketed-under-us-control-sources-say-2026-01-27/ As for Cuba, it is not a blockade on Venezuela stopping oil going to Cuba, but the blockade on Cuba. The reality is that Venezuela handed over commercialisation of its oil to the US in the deal struck in the days after Jan 3. That is what stops it sending oil anywhere --- not a blockade but the fact it relinquished the right to determine where its oil goes. While we can certainly argue this was done under extreme duress, it is also a reality that the government has made clear this deal and the new hydrocarbon law (which legally hands over commercialisation to transnationals) were fully agreed to by the government, and not imposed. Here, for example is Jorge Rodriguez saying just that in an interview published yesterday in El Pais (Note that, as with Delcy Rodriguez's April 8 speech, there is mention of ongoing sanctions but no mention of a blockade): Q. Is Venezuela under U.S. tutelage? A. No, it is not. What does exist is a cooperative relationship, a process that we would like to see move faster — such as the gradual lifting of sanctions on the oil industry and the Venezuelan financial system. That will undoubtedly lead to an increase in foreign investment in oil, mining, gas, and services. All of that is part of this entire process of talks. Q. What is the United States demanding in exchange for lifting the sanctions? A. I can tell you this with absolute certainty, because I am the one in charge of political dialogue on the Chavista side: nothing. So far, not once have they told us: On such-and-such day you must do this, on another day you must do that. Not once has a single U.S. official told us: Look, pass the law by such-and-such a date. Besides, that would violate the Constitution. Q. So, in drafting legislations such as the hydrocarbons law or the mining law, is there no exchange or any suggestions from the U.S. on how to proceed? A. Of course there can be suggestions, and there have been. We don’t have any hang-ups about that, but not just from the United States. Repsol also sent its suggestions for the hydrocarbons law, and they were right about some of them. No one is going to come and invest their money if they don’t have sufficient guarantees and a legal basis. We realized that we were lagging behind all other oil and gas producers in the world when it came to attracting foreign investment. And who was going to come to Venezuela to invest based solely on good intentions? Venezuela is becoming quite sexy from the perspective of foreign investment opportunities.... https://english.elpais.com/international/2026-04-12/jorge-rodriguez-the-most-important-thing-in-venezuela-right-now-is-the-economy.html -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. View/Reply Online (#41441): https://groups.io/g/marxmail/message/41441 Mute This Topic: https://groups.io/mt/118607353/21656 -=-=- POSTING RULES & NOTES #1 YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. #2 This mail-list, like most, is publicly & permanently archived. #3 Subscribe and post under an alias if #2 is a concern. #4 Do not exceed five posts a day. -=-=- Group Owner: [email protected] Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/marxmail/leave/13617172/21656/1316126222/xyzzy [[email protected]] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
