US begins to ease Venezuela sanctions allowing propane deals

ITDC INDIA EPRESS/ITDC NEWS R The US government on Monday began to ease the crippling sanctions imposed by the Trump administration on Venezuela by allowing companies to export propane to the troubled South American country, a step that could mitigate a shortage that has pushed people to cook on charcoal or wood grills.

The long-awaited first policy reversal of the Biden administration toward Venezuela comes as the socialist government of President Nicolas Maduro has begun to allow foreign aid into the country and taken other steps to signal it is willing to engage with Washington.

The regulation from the US Department of the Treasury authorises non-US companies to export liquefied petroleum gas to Venezuela without risking sanctions. The authorisation is valid for one year.