Is Maduro trying to better his relationship with Trump?
The bilateral relations between Venezuela and the US seem to be deteriorating, but Maduro’s behavior is far from usual
Since the Venezuelan Government dissolved the democratically elected parliament earlier on this year, the United States’ president has signed executive orders imposing economic sanctions on the South American nation. Even the American president, Donald Trump, mentioned that he doesn’t discard a military intervention to bring back the democracy in the said nation.
The socialist country is well known for its constant attacks against the American government throughout the years; this time around, the Venezuelan administration surprised the world with a reconciliation tone. The Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, tried to contact his American counterpart to improve the bilateral relations, but Trump refused to talk to him until “the democracy is restored in the nation”.
Trump, on the other hand, is set on imposing more sanctions on Venezuela. He has forbidden any American financial organization to negotiate any economic deal with the South American country or their state-owned oil producer PDVSA.
The Venezuelan Government warned president Trump that due to these recent sanctions, they’re incapable of suppling medicine and food to their citizens. However, according to countless reports of independent agencies, the nation is already suffering a food and medicine shortage since 2014.
When everybody was expecting an increase in diplomatic tension, the Venezuelan Government, once again, tried to calm the situation. The South American chancellor, Jorge Arreaza, offered US$5 million for the people affected by hurricane Harvey in Texas and Louisiana. Maduro’s administration also expresses their solidarity with Americans and their Government.
Nevertheless, the opposition leader, Henrique Capriles, describes this offer as a “mockery” to the Venezuelan people who are “suffering difficulties” while the “Government take out their checkbook to make international politics”.
These uncommon gestures from the socialist administration can be interpreted as desperation. If the USA doesn’t reverse their sanctions, the Venezuelan crisis will increase the social tension and probably the migration crisis until Maduro’s administration restores the opposition rights, which does not appear to be close.
Latin American Post | Santiago Gómez Hernández
Copy edited by Susana Cicchetto
