Venezuela frees two prisoners who worked with US oil company | The world

Among them was Gustavo Gardinas, a former executive of SIDCO, a refining subsidiary. To us State Oil Company Petroleum D Venezuela SA, sources said, were released on Tuesday.

The move comes just days after Maduro met with senior US officials considering lifting oil sanctions on Caracas. On Tuesday, President Joe Biden banned Russian oil imports in response to the war in Ukraine.

Cardenas was one of six SIDCO executives arrested during the trip Venezuela In November 2017 the US government dropped allegations of corruption.

“We have decided to reactivate the national dialogue process,” Maduro said on state television on Monday. “This dialogue should provide all political guarantees for years to come,” he added.

The whereabouts of the released prisoners were not immediately known, although they were expected to be arrested. Venezuela To To us Without delay.

Washington has called for the release of at least nine people, including “SIDCO 6”, two former Green Berets and former U.S. Marines.

US embargo on Russia

White House Russia imposed sanctions on Tuesday In purchasing gas, oil and coal from the Putin-led country.

“You To us They are attacking the main arteries of the Russian economy, ”said Joe Biden. He announced a ban on all Russian imports of oil, natural gas and coal. The move comes into effect immediately with a 45-day grace period for agreements already signed, with the support of both Democrats and Republicans.

By 2021, the United States will buy about 700,000 barrels of oil a day from Russia. This is small: 8% of what Americans need. But that does not mean oil prices will not rise and have repercussions around the world, according to oil and gas expert Fernando Walle. To us.

Biden announced strategies to control inflation. Release of oil from first US strategic reserves: 60 million barrels stored in underground tanks in Louisiana and Texas.

“The problem is that 60 million barrels a day is not even worth a global demand for oil.

The engagement with Maduro, a longtime American rival, aims to evaluate it Venezuela Is ready to stay away from Russia.

However, the Biden administration faced strong criticism of Capitol Hill for its approach to Maduro, which is under US sanctions for human rights abuses and political repression.

Senator Robert Menendez, Fiden’s Democrat, and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has called for a ceasefire with the White House. Venezuela.

Maduro said in a statement, “Our hemisphere is a cancer, and we must not breathe new life into the regime of torture and murder.”

You To us After Maduro’s re-election in 2018, he recognized opposition leader Juan Quito as the country’s legitimate president, which Western governments considered a sham.