With less than two weeks remaining until the expiration of Barack Obama’s March 2015 decree— declaring Venezuela an ‘unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States’—the interventionist policies that continued under Joe Biden are being reinvigorated by sectors of Venezuela’s extreme opposition, who are intensifying their fierce campaign for further economic, financial, and oil sanctions.
One piece of evidence for this is a two-page article paid for by the Human Rights Foundation, led by Thor Halvorssen, cousin of fugitive from Venezuelan justice, Leopoldo López. Dated February 25, 2025, and published in El Político, the article makes false accusations regarding oil licenses in
Venezuela.
According to opposition congressman Luis Eduardo Martínez, “The paid ad by the Human Rights Foundation, led by Venezuelan Thor Halvorssen as Chief Executive Officer, is yet another attempt to maintain foreign unilateral economic sanctions that severely impact the Venezuelan people, particularly in the oil and financial sectors.”
“Two dates likely motivated this publication: the first is March 8, when the presidential executive order declaring a ‘national emergency’ due to Venezuela’s ‘unusual and extraordinary’ threat to U.S. security and foreign policy expires. The second is May 16, when the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ends Chevron’s six-month license,” the congressman stated.
He further explained that “foreign sanctions as a tool of pressure against countries have been a failure for over 100 years. North Korea, Cuba, Nicaragua, and more recently, Russia, serve as examples. The Trump administration has emphasized that reviving the U.S. economy and solving the migration crisis are priorities, and Venezuela plays a crucial role in both. We could be a reliable oil supplier, and with our economy recovering—free from sanctions—we would curb migration and bring thousands of Venezuelans back home.”
“Advocating for Venezuela’s collapse is not only criminal but also extraordinarily foolish, as it harms both national interests and those of the United States. We must strive for the full normalization of diplomatic, consular, and commercial relations between Venezuela and the U.S. within a framework of non-interference, mutual respect, and reciprocity,” Martínez argued.
López and Halvorssen Promote an Agenda Against Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ Policy
Leopoldo López, a fugitive from Venezuelan justice, and his cousin, Thor Halvorssen Mendoza, are lobbying in Washington against Trump’s “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) agenda—a campaign slogan that the magnate used in previous runs and that President Ronald Reagan originally launched in 1980 during a tough economic period in the U.S.
This MAGA battle cry echoes throughout Washington. Today, MAGA is a conservative and nativist movement that prioritizes native-born citizens, hence its iconic phrase, “America First,” which champions economic protectionism and foreign policy isolationism.
This movement poses challenges for those who continue to harm the Venezuelan people. What is the plan of Leopoldo López and his cousin Halvorssen? Simply put, they seek support in Washington to convince the Trump administration to renew Obama’s decree against Venezuela, thus hindering the country’s economic growth and, consequently, the quality of life of Venezuelans.
The radical Venezuelan opposition has never truly cared about the working people of Venezuela, who bear the brunt of the sanctions. Thor Halvorssen Mendoza, a journalist who runs the so-called “human rights organization” Human Rights Foundation (HRF) from Miami, has recently mobilized his few remaining allies in the U.S. to push for further sanctions against Venezuela.
The Radicals Target Chevron Licenses
Sources within the Venezuelan opposition, speaking anonymously, claim that Leopoldo López and his cousin are currently leading an accelerated plan to persuade the U.S. to cancel the licenses that allow Chevron and other energy companies to operate in Venezuela.
“But it won’t be easy; things are not like they were in 2019,” opposition sources insist. They claim that the USAID scandal has severely tarnished their credibility and that the Trump administration is being relentless. Political figures such as Juan Guaidó, María Corina Machado, Leopoldo López, Antonio Ledezma, and Julio Borges have received substantial funds—$8 billion from USAID, $10 billion from CITGO, and $11 billion from Venezuelan bank accounts frozen abroad.
President Trump himself recently addressed this matter: “We are examining it very seriously, but I’ve only been here for three weeks,” he stated when asked whether he would maintain Chevron’s license despite the economic sanctions imposed on Venezuela.
Additionally, several U.S. media outlets report that Harry Sargeant is leading efforts by a group of American oil entrepreneurs to persuade Trump of the benefits of a deal with Venezuela. Since November, when Trump won the election, Sargeant has been making this case. Moreover, Richard Grenell, Trump’s special envoy for Venezuela, recently stated in an interview that the U.S. president has no interest in promoting regime change worldwide and is primarily focused on the well-being of American citizens.
During a conversation with The Epoch Times, Grenell recalled his meeting with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas. “I spent the day in Caracas, met with Maduro, and looked him in the eye. I tried to have a conversation that could lead to a different kind of relationship with him,” Grenell stated.
Thus, there is room for positive developments for Venezuela. However, President Nicolás Maduro has already warned that extremist opposition figures, such as María Corina Machado, are calling for more sanctions against Venezuela and seeking an excuse for further aggression. “Those who are planning this will fail (…) They believe that imposing new sanctions or aggressions against Venezuela will scare the people. We will defeat them again, head-on. In Venezuela, there will be peace, harmony, national unity, prosperity, recovery, and development through our own efforts,” Maduro warned.
Leopoldo López Criticized for His Failed Strategies Against the Venezuelan People
In late 2024, Venezuelan economist Luis Oliveros explained that the potential removal of oil licenses for foreign companies operating in Venezuela by OFAC could lead to a 50% drop in the country’s foreign currency income. “This would have highly negative effects on inflation and
exchange rate volatility,” Oliveros stated.
These concerns prompted a swift response from fugitive Leopoldo López, one of the most radical opposition leaders who continues to advocate for sanctions against Venezuela.
López, exiled in Spain, refuses to acknowledge the negative impact of sanctions on Venezuela. He insists that the collapse of public services and the humanitarian crisis are solely the government’s responsibility. He also argues that Chevron’s licenses were granted on the condition that the Barbados Agreement would be honored. Even now, López fails to recognize that his pressure strategy since 2019 has only brought suffering to the Venezuelan population, as he continues to push for more economic blockades against the country.”You should have more empathy and connection with the reality that Venezuelans live (…) Sanctions were designed to worsen Venezuela’s economic crisis, and you know that very well,” Oliveros replied to López on the social media platform X.
Oil Production on the Rise
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), in its January 2025 monthly report, detailed that Venezuela’s oil production exceeded one million barrels per day.
This level of production had not been achieved since 2019, marking a significant milestone after five and a half years.
The increase was made possible by the U.S. government’s easing of some sanctions on multinational companies trading with Venezuela’s state oil company, PDVSA.
As for the 2025 oil production plan, Venezuela’s Vice President and Minister of Hydrocarbons, Delcy Rodríguez, stated on February 6 that the plan aims to improve efficiency within the industry.
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Publish date : 2025-02-26 08:40:00
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