MIAMI.- In a bipartisan effort to increase pressure on Nicolás Maduro’s regime in Venezuela, Florida representatives María Elvira Salazar (Republican) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Democrat) have introduced a new bill in the United States Congress.
The proposal, known as the Law to Repeal Venezuelan Oil Exemptions to End Autocratic Repression (REVOKE Law), primarily aims to prohibit new licenses for transactions with the Venezuelan state oil company (PDVSA).
The legislation also seeks to revoke existing licenses that allow US companies in the hydrocarbon sector to operate in Venezuela. The intention is to defund Maduro’s dictatorship.
The initiative comes in a context of high political tension in Venezuela. The Venezuelan opposition, led by Edmundo González Urrutia and María Corina Machado, remains firm in its position of defending the victory achieved in the July 28 elections, while the Maduro regime continues to proclaim its own victory without presenting official results.
Furthermore, there are serious and well-founded accusations that Maduro is trying to “steal” the third presidential election, which has intensified the climate of uncertainty and distrust in the country.
The new law
The REPEAL Act could have significant consequences for companies like Chevron, which currently operates in Venezuela under special licenses granted by the Joe Biden administration.
Rafael de la Cruz, advisor to the Venezuelan opposition campaign, said that the intention is to cancel these licenses, after arguing that they represent a lifeline for the regime and that it is essential for the Venezuelan population that this government withdraws.
The proposal generated diverse reactions in the political and economic sphere. Bipartisan support for this initiative underscores the importance given to the Venezuelan situation in US politics.
However, some analysts warn of possible repercussions on the global oil market and economic relations between the United States and Venezuela.
There is also a debate about whether this measure will actually put pressure on the Maduro regime or whether it could have unintended consequences.
Still, the REVOLVE Act represents a new chapter in the efforts of a political sector in the United States to promote political change in Venezuela.
His presentation reflects the frustration of many lawmakers with the current situation and their desire to use economic tools to exert pressure on the regime.