Washington has demanded non-US oil trading houses and refiners cut operations with Venezuela beyond the already imposed sanctions or face sanctions themselves, according to a Reuters report.
The US State Department told foreign firms that the already existing restrictions on the South American nation are actually wider than on paper, the agency said on Thursday, citing three sources familiar with the matter. The demands reportedly covered any direct, indirect or barter oil trade with Caracas and those who refuse to comply with the demands may face sanctions themselves.
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While some companies, including ones from European states, Russia and India, continue to deal with Caracas, an official said that the firms should be aware of “the possible risks they face by conducting business” with sanctions-hit Venezuelan state-run oil major PDVSA.
“This is how the United States operates these days. They have written rules, and then they call you to explain that there are also unwritten rules that they want you to follow,” Reuters cited one of its sources as saying.
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The Trump administration slapped Venezuelas oil industry with sanctions in January, as US-supported opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself interim president. In particular, the US froze $7 billion of assets belonging to PDVSA and its US subsidiary Citgo.
The US now wants to cut supplies of gasoline and oil products used to dilute heavy Venezuelan crude to make it suitable for export. Diesel and jet fuel are exempted from the measures due to “humanitarian reasons,” according Read More
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