On Tuesday, a US delegation led by US Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer traveled to Colombia for the international conference on Venezuela, where he discussed what concrete actions Caracas must take before the United States considers sanctions relief. The conference was meant to promote a resumption of negotiations between the Maduro government and the Venezuelan opposition.
"The high level US delegation in Bogota...suggests the US is prepared to make concessions, but if [Venezuelan President Nicolas] Maduro doesn’t budge, I fail to see how the deadlock will be broken," the source said.
According to the source, the new leadership of the Venezuelan opposition does not yet have a coordinated position on sanctions and does not appear to officially be lobbying the Biden administration on this matter yet, but with former Venezuelan opposition envoy Carlos Vecchio and others no longer playing an official role, it opens the door to a new approach.
In December, Venezuela's opposition national assembly voted to oust Guaido and dissolve his government. He was eventually replaced by Dinorah Figuera.
A senior US administration official, according to media reports, said President Joe Biden and Colombian President Gustavo Petro would discuss the topic of sanctions relief on Venezuela during a meeting at the White House last week.
The US sanctions waiver allows US corporation Chevron to resume oil production in Venezuela for six months through its joint venture partner PDVSA. However, the license does not allow Chevron to expand its operations or allow new US investment in Venezuela's oil sector.
The United States also recently extended for three months a license that protects Venezuelan-owned oil refiner Citgo Petroleum from creditors trying to seize their assets because of pending debts. The United States considers the Venezuelan opposition's national assembly as the entity controlling the Houston-based refiner.