Biden Administration Lifts Oil Sanctions on Maduro

The Flawed Foreign Policy of the Joe Biden Administration

Under the leadership of Joe Biden, numerous mistakes have marred the track record of the current administration. The errors are unprecedented in their number, scope, and severity, with foreign policy being no exception. In various international engagements, the United States has aligned itself with the wrong actors for dubious reasons.

The Case of Nicolas Maduro and Venezuela

One glaring example is the relationship with Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro. Labeled as a socialist dictator by the United States Justice Department, Maduro faces charges of ‘narco-terrorism,’ drug trafficking, money laundering, and corruption. He is accused of collaborating with a faction of the Colombian Farc rebel group to flood the United States with cocaine, using drugs as a tool against American communities. Consequently, the U.S. government has placed a $15 million bounty on information leading to Maduro’s capture.

Maduro’s ambitions extend beyond criminal activities to territorial expansion, with plans to invade and occupy a significant portion of neighboring Guyana’s oil-rich territory. Despite these concerning actions, the Biden administration opted to engage with Maduro and even lifted sanctions previously imposed by the Trump administration. Predictably, Maduro failed to uphold his end of the agreement, prompting the U.S. to announce the non-renewal of a license that had eased sanctions on Venezuelan oil.

Reimposition of Sanctions

The decision to reimpose punitive measures on Venezuela comes in response to Maduro’s failure to fulfill election commitments. The Trump administration had initially imposed sweeping sanctions in 2019 following Maduro’s disputed re-election. While Maduro has met some obligations from a previous agreement, crucial promises, such as allowing the opposition to field their candidate against him in upcoming elections, remain unfulfilled.

“While Maduro has met some commitments under last year’s deal, he has failed to meet others, including allowing the opposition to run the candidate of its choice against him in the July 28 presidential election,”

With the expiration of a six-month general license looming, the State Department is poised to let it lapse without renewal. Concerns from U.S. officials center on Maduro’s suppression of political opponents and the unjust treatment of figures such as opposition candidate Maria Corina Machado.

The Biden administration’s reevaluation of its stance on Venezuela reflects the complexities of international relations and the need for a principled approach in dealing with authoritarian regimes. As the situation unfolds, the United States grapples with the repercussions of its diplomatic decisions and the ramifications for global stability.