President Nicolás Maduro assured this Thursday that he is willing to resume dialogue with the United States under the agreement signed in Qatar:
“I have always dialogued, if the US government is willing to respect sovereignty and stops threatening Venezuela, (then) we can resume dialogue, but based on a single point: Qatar’s compliance,” he wrote in a message in the X network, attaching the document that shows the agreements:
“I have always dialogued, if the US government is willing to respect sovereignty and stops threatening #Venezuela (then) we can resume #Dialogue but based on a single point: Qatar’s compliance”. This is the record of that negotiation. pic.twitter.com/VatCK7fD8b”
— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) August 1, 2024
This Wednesday, the head of state, in a press conference, said: “I am a man of dialogue, negotiation, agreement, I keep my word, I respect what is signed and what is discussed.”
The agreement shows that they signed contracts for the production of gas and oil with investors from the United States, Spain, Italy, France and the United Kingdom.
Following, the text of the Agreement:
Understanding Memorandum (28.9.2023)
“The delegations of the United States of America («USA») and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela («Venezuela») (together «The Participants») intend to take a series of steps leading to the normalization of diplomatic relations.
Gradual and Mutually Reinforcing Commitments
In support of this purpose, the Participants intend to take the following reciprocal and mutually reinforcing steps:
Phase 1. Initial Steps
Week 1:
Venezuela intends to take the following actions:
1) Provides for information purposes a copy of the draft political agreement negotiated with the Unitary Platform of Venezuela (PUV). Also
known as the Unitary Platform (PU).
2) Publicly announces with the PUV the specific date for the next round of dialogue to be organized under the format of the memorandum of understanding of August 13, 2021 signed in Mexico City between the «Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Unitary Platform of Venezuela.»
The United States intends to:
1) Issue a statement supporting the announcement of the resumption of talks;
2) Issue specific licenses to facilitate the payment of debt from PetroCaribe of Haiti, Belize, and the Dominican Republic to entities in Venezuela and
transactions associated with the Bank of Venezuela;
3) Modify the license for Trinidad and Tobago to allow cash payments and transactions associated with the Bank of Venezuela;
4) Issue letters of comfort to ENI, Repsol, and Maurel & Prom to operate in Venezuela and/or pay debt;
The Participants intend to communicate in a timely manner regarding the licenses referred to in paragraphs (2), (3) and (4),
to ensure that all technical agreements and requirements are finalized
so that the issuance or modification of the applicable licenses can be
completed promptly. The licenses and letters of compliance referred to in paragraphs (2), (3) and (4) will become effective five days after their
issuance.
Week 2:
1) Venezuela and the PUV intend to jointly sign and announce a
political agreement, concluded between Venezuelans without any external
influence, and with the aim of addressing the political challenges of the future, which will include the decision to hold the presidential electoral event no later than the end of 2024, in accordance with the Constitution of Venezuela and
electoral laws, as well as the following topics:
a) Authorization to all presidential candidates and political parties that
comply with the requirements established to participate in the presidential
elections, in accordance with the procedures and agreements between
Venezuela and the PUV, Venezuelan legislation and the standard and
reasonable procedures established by the country’s institutions;
b) Rejection of any form of violence in the exercise of politics, as well as the
rejection of any type of actions that threaten the sovereignty,
peace and territorial integrity of Venezuela;
(c) Announcement of the intention to invite the competent institution of Venezuela to participate in the technical electoral observation missions of the European Union, the Carter Center, and the panel of electoral experts of the United Nations, with the expectation that the electoral observation missions will be technical in nature and respect the sovereignty of the country, the laws and the national authorities, in accordance with the standards applicable to the functions of electoral observation;
(d) Indication of the approximate time of the elections;
(e) The execution of a comprehensive and agreed update and audit of the electoral register before the elections and with the presence of international observers; and
(f) Commitment to ensure that, from the time of the call for elections,
and in compliance with the electoral laws in force in Venezuela, all candidates
will have free, equal and balanced access to social networks and other national and international means of communication.
2) Take steps pursuant to law to release 25 deprived persons of liberty, on the terms discussed in the sessions
leading to this Memorandum of Understanding.
The United States intends to take the following steps:
1) Issue a General License, to be renewed every 6 months based on
mutual understandings, to authorize new and existing operations in Venezuela’s
oil and gas sectors and to authorize financial transactions
associated with the Bank of Venezuela.
2) Issue general authorizations related to secondary trading
in Venezuelan debt and participation in the Venezuelan gold sector.
The Participants agree to establish a plan of action aimed at the
release of deprived persons of liberty of mutual interest in an agreed-upon manner, on the terms discussed in the sessions
leading to this Memorandum of Understanding.
Phase 2: Official Announcement of the Electoral Calendar:
Before the end of the first quarter of 2024, the Electoral Branch of Venezuela is expected to announce the presidential electoral schedule and invite
the technical electoral observation missions of the European Union, the Carter Center, and the United Nations panel of electoral experts.
Concurrently, the United States issues a second General License to
suspend economic sanctions based on the national emergency regarding Venezuela, to be renewed every 6 months based on mutual
understandings.
Phase 3: Post-electoral Steps:
Following the holding of presidential elections and the inauguration of the
duly elected President, the United States unblocks Venezuelan government assets currently frozen in the United States. In addition,
the United States lifts all sanctions/designations based on the
national emergency regarding to Venezuela and revokes all Executive Orders
based on the national emergency declared by the United States regarding Venezuela as well as the Executive Order declaring such emergency, in accordance with United States law; and the Participants normalize diplomatic and consular relations.
Non-Binding Understanding Memorandum:
This Understanding Memorandum sets out political commitments of the Participants and does not create binding international rights or
obligations among them. This Memorandum of Understanding in no way suggests that Venezuela accepts or endorses the
sanctions. “