Pompeo blames Russia, Cuba for Venezuelan crisis

[webfact]

Pompeo blames Russia, Cuba for Venezuelan crisis

By Matt Spetalnick and Lesley Wroughton

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks during a news conference with Philippines Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. at the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs Home Office in Manila, Philippines, Friday, March 1, 2019. Andrew Harnik/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday blamed Russia and Cuba for causing Venezuela's political crisis by supporting President Nicolas Maduro and said he had urged India not to help Maduro's government by buying Venezuelan oil.

 

His comments came after the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Russian bank Evrofinance Mosnarbank for helping Venezuelan state oil firm PDVSA evade U.S. financial restrictions.

 

"This story is not complete without acknowledging the central role Cuba and Russia have played and continue to play in undermining the democratic dreams of the Venezuelan people and their welfare," Pompeo told reporters.

 

"Moscow, like Havana, continues to provide political cover to the Maduro regime, while pressuring countries to disregard the democratic legitimacy of the interim president Guaido," he added.

 

The Trump administration has taken several steps in recent weeks to ratchet up pressure on Maduro and bolster Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, recognised by the United States and more than 50 other countries as interim president.

 

However, Maduro, who has accused Guaido of a U.S.-directed coup attempt, retains the backing of Russia and China as well as control of state institutions including the military.

 

Earlier on Monday, Pompeo met with India's Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale at the State Department and among topics was India's purchases of oil from Maduro's government.

 

"We are asking the same thing of India as we are of every country: do not be the economic lifeline for the Maduro regime," Pompeo said, declining to give specifics of the talks.

 

"I am very confident in the same way that India has been incredibly supportive of our efforts on Iran, I am confident that they too understand the real threat to the Venezuelan people," he added.

 

The Indian market is crucial for Venezuela's economy. It has historically been the second-largest cash-paying customer for the OPEC country's crude after the United States, which through sanctions against Maduro has handed control of much of the revenue to Guaido.

 

Earlier, the U.S. Treasury said all U.S. assets of Evrofinance, described as jointly owned by Russian and Venezuelan state-owned companies, would be frozen and U.S. citizens prohibited from doing business with it.

 

Pompeo said Russian oil giant Rosneft was also defying U.S. sanctions by buying oil from PDVSA, which was sanctioned in January.

 

"Russia's state-owned company, Rosneft, continues to purchase crude oil cargoes from PDVSA, Venezuela's state-owned oil company, in defiance of U.S. sanctions. And, Rosneft's CEO, Igor Sechin, continues to throw a lifeline to the regime," he said.

 

Washington has called on foreign banks to ensure that Maduro and Venezuelan government officials are not hiding financial assets abroad.

 

"Bankers: Do not help Maduro and his accomplices steal the assets of the Venezuelan people," U.S. national security adviser John Bolton wrote in a message on Twitter on Monday. "The United States is watching. The world is watching. The Venezuelan people are watching."

 

Evrofinance was set up in 2011 with Venezuela's National Development Fund, commonly known as FONDEN, taking a 49 percent stake in the bank, the Treasury Department said.

 

Russia’s Gazprombank and the Russian state bank VTB Bank each took a 25 percent interest in Evrofinance, which was founded as a bi-national bank to fund joint Russia-Venezuela oil and infrastructure projects, the department said.

 

Evrofinance was the primary international financial bank that helped finance a Venezuelan crypto-currency, the petro, which launched last year in an attempt to "circumvent" U.S. sanctions, the Treasury Department said.

 

Evrofinance said in a statement on its website that it was operating in a "stable manner" and will "fulfill all of its obligations towards clients and partners.”

 

Gazprombank, which is Russia’s third biggest lender by assets and includes among its shareholders Russian state gas company Gazprom, said in a statement that the U.S. Treasury decision would not affect it.

 

“Gazprombank has a minority stake in Evrofinance Mosnarbank,” Gazprombank said. “Gazprombank does not carry out operations on the accounts of companies that are sanctioned by the U.S. over Venezuela.”

 

(Additional reporting by Mohammad Zargham and David Alexander in Washington; Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber, Tatiana Voronova and Elena Fabrichnaya in Moscow; editing by Grant McCool and Tom Brown)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-03-12

[fxe1200]

Bullshit. How can a land survive when the gold reserves and assets of state owned companies are frozen, 46 billion dollars blocked, all trades including the sales of oil sanctioned? The U.S. want to get hold of the Venezuelan oil fields that is all, they did that in Iraq and Libya. They want to install their own puppet regime, like they have done it in other states.

 

[Nyezhov]

42 minutes ago, fxe1200 said:

Bullshit. How can a land survive when the gold reserves and assets of state owned companies are frozen, 46 billion dollars blocked, all trades including the sales of oil sanctioned? The U.S. want to get hold of the Venezuelan oil fields that is all, they did that in Iraq and Libya. They want to install their own puppet regime, like they have done it in other states.

 

I hope we do, maybe folks in Venezuela will stop starving to death then. 

[Spike1938]

45 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

I hope we do, maybe folks in Venezuela will stop starving to death then. 

They are starving to death because of US actions and sanctions. USA will destroy any government that shares oil profits with the people as Venezuela does. As outlined in the message you are responding to, if the USA unfroze the Venezuelan funds the people would have plenty of money. This crisis is being orchestrated by the USA on behalf of Exxon.

[Nyezhov]

1 minute ago, Spike1938 said:

They are starving to death because of US actions and sanctions. USA will destroy any government that shares oil profits with the people as Venezuela does. As outlined in the message you are responding to, if the USA unfroze the Venezuelan funds the people would have plenty of money. This crisis is being orchestrated by the USA on behalf of Exxon.

And, so? Thats fine with me. In the end, the Venezuelan people will be better off. 

[Guest Jerry787]

pompeo.. a disgrace to humanity

worst all the mess they doing in venezuela, they forcing maduro to safe harbour toward china and russia....

 

incredible how many world disaster US has created.

 

[Syduan]

3 hours ago, Nyezhov said:

And, so? Thats fine with me. In the end, the Venezuelan people will be better off. 

Just like in Syria, Iraq, Libya and every where else this global cartel of evil scum has decided to destroy for personal gain. 

[Srikcir]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

"Moscow, like Havana, continues to provide political cover to the Maduro regime, while pressuring countries to disregard the democratic legitimacy of the interim president Guaido,"

Who won the last election for the presidency?

• Hint 1: Guaido boycotted the election - he and Maduro opposition parties didn't vote.
• Hint 2: Maduro was sworn in as president by the nation's Supreme Court in 2019. www.reuters.com/article-us-venezuela-politics-ceremony/venezuelas-maduro-sworn-in-to-a-second-term-in-office/idUSKCN1P422A

Guaido claims the presidency by default (certainly not an acceptable democratic process) as he claims (likely true) that Maduro stacked the electoral process in his favor by making unconstitutional changes to the electoral process.

There is no democratic legitimacy of the interim president (of State) for Guaido.

More so there is no true democratic legitimacy of president Maduro.

What is needed is international diplomacy as well as other "devices" to impress upon Maduro to correct the electoral process for a new fair and open internationally-monitored election.

Not US Gunboat blathering.

 

[usviphotography]

1 hour ago, Jerry787 said:

pompeo.. a disgrace to humanity

worst all the mess they doing in venezuela, they forcing maduro to safe harbour toward china and russia....

 

incredible how many world disaster US has created.

 

What is really incredible is how these people stay in power decade after decade after orchestrating disaster after disaster. I mean, Trump won the election in large part because he was the only Republican willing to stand up and denounce George W. and the stupidity of the Iraq War and all the other Neocon nonsense. And yet here we are, with a strident Neocon and proponent of the Iraq War as our Secretary of State! I just don't think these people can be gotten rid of via Democratic means. 

[Nyezhov]

3 hours ago, Syduan said:

Just like in Syria, Iraq, Libya and every where else this global cartel of evil scum has decided to destroy for personal gain. 

Evil scum we may be,but the world is a better place for us. Your mileage may vary, but give someone a choice of where to live......and.......

[Nyezhov]

2 hours ago, Srikcir said:

What is needed is international diplomacy as well as other "devices" to impress upon Maduro to correct the electoral process for a new fair and open internationally-monitored election.

Not US Gunboat blathering.

Sure. Let them all starve and die while the diplomats blather. Guess it sucks to be Venezuelan.

[bristolboy]

3 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

Evil scum we may be,but the world is a better place for us. Your mileage may vary, but give someone a choice of where to live......and.......

Tell that to the people in the Mideast.

[Jingthing]

I understand the strong criticism of American foreign policy and war actions, past and present, but I can't really process the sympathy and/or support for the brutal and totally corrupt dictator Maduro. It really does not compute.

For a breath of fresh air and a sane (not pro Maduro) suggestion for an American response to the extremely serious crisis in Venezuela, start from paragraph 4 in this link.

 

Quote

Get ready for Pete Buttigieg

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/03/11/get-ready-buttigieg/

 

Edited March 12, 2019 by Jingthing

[Kelsall]

The situation in Venezuela is due to socialism, pure and simple.

[Prissana Pescud]

7 hours ago, Kelsall said:

The situation in Venezuela is due to socialism, pure and simple.

Venezuela is not ruled by a socialist.

Autocratic is probably a better definition. 

Either way, when he finally does a runner to another autocratic country,

he will be taking with him millions of dollars he has stripped from the country.

Hardly the definition of a socialist society. Germany, one of the worlds great economic powers is ruled by Social Democrats.

Your Republican Party definitions are wanting. Along with other glib Republican mantra.

[Jingthing]

5 minutes ago, Prissana Pescud said:

Venezuela is not ruled by a socialist.

Autocratic is probably a better definition. 

Either way, when he finally does a runner to another autocratic country,

he will be taking with him millions of dollars he has stripped from the country.

Hardly the definition of a socialist society. Germany, one of the worlds great economic powers is ruled by Social Democrats.

Your Republican Party definitions are wanting. Along with other glib Republican mantra.

Exactly. The corruption of the Maduro regime is epic. It matters not what the label is. I'm on the left side of the spectrum as an American, but I don't care if Maduro is labeled left, right, or Martian. He's a stinkin' old massively corrupt dictator that has moved his country to the point of being a totally failed state. You don't need ideology in such instances. You just need common sense. The rot has got to go. 

[johnnykak]

so its socialism thats the problem? whats the problem in north korea? dictators are ok if they arnt socialist? I'm pretty sure the socialist countries in europe can vote lol. i find it hard to agree with anything a trump supporter says lol.

[johnnykak]

north korea- ok. venezuela- bad- lol

[usviphotography]

2 hours ago, johnnykak said:

so its socialism thats the problem? whats the problem in north korea? dictators are ok if they arnt socialist? I'm pretty sure the socialist countries in europe can vote lol. i find it hard to agree with anything a trump supporter says lol.

Most Trump supporters don't care about Venezuela in the slightest. The difference between North Korea and Venezuela is simply that Trump is personally handling the former while the later is not really on his radar. And since the Neocons still rule the roost, this means they are able to effect their preferred solution to everything "regime change" in the latter. If Hillary had won, we would be equally hostile towards both Venezuela and North Korea and probably in a World War with Russia to boot. Trump is solid when it comes to Foreign Policy, but he is not terribly competent politically. He allowed his WH to be infected with Neocons and that means whenever he's not paying attention or just doesn't care about something, they take charge. 

Edited March 15, 2019 by usviphotography

[Nyezhov]

19 minutes ago, usviphotography said:

The difference between North Korea and Venezuela is simply that Trump is personally handling the former while the later is not really on his radar.

Or maybe the difference is that one is a madman with nukes who is holding off the world, while the other is just a failed Communist flunky presiding over the destruction of his own country and the murder of his own people.

 

Regardless, sooner or later both are going to end on the ash heap of history.