EU, Lima Group Sour On Juan Guaido

(Argus, 6.Jan.2021) — The EU and the Lima Group of Latin American countries and Canada have implicitly dropped support for Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s interim president, portending a policy shift in Washington as well. The EU now views Guaido and the opposition-led “outgoing” National Assembly as just […]

China Slams Pompeo For ‘Arrogance’ On LatAm Tour

(Reuters, 18.Sep.2020) — China’s embassy to Suriname on Friday accused U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo of “smearing” Beijing, after Washington’s top diplomat critiqued Chinese companies’ business practices during the first stop on a four-country South America tour. In a joint appearance with newly elected Surinamese President Chan Santokhi on […]

China On Pompeo’s Remarks On China

(Chinese Embassy in Guyana, 18.Sep.2020) — The US Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo made again some erroneous remarks on China during his visit to Guyana, to which we strongly oppose. To ensure a correct understanding of facts, I would like to reiterate the following: First, Taiwan is an inalienable […]

Guyana And The US: More Than 50 Years Of Friendship

(US Embassy Guyana, 16.Sep.2020) — Secretary Pompeo will travel to Georgetown, Guyana, 17-18 September 2020. He will meet with newly elected President Irfaan Ali and his cabinet, as well as CARICOM Secretary-General LaRocque. Secretary Pompeo will reinforce the promise of a values-based U.S. partnership rooted in inclusive governance, private-sector investment […]

Pompeo To Visit Guyana, Suriname, Brazil, Colombia

(US State Department, 15.Sep.2020) — Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo will travel to Paramaribo, Suriname; Georgetown, Guyana; Boa Vista, Brazil; Bogota, Colombia; and Plano, Texas, September 17-20, 2020.  This trip will highlight the United States’ commitment to defend democracy, combat COVID-19 while revitalizing our economies in the pandemic’s wake, and strengthen security against regional threats.    […]

Situation In Guyana Goes From Bad To Worse

(Forbes, 18.Jul.2020) — As I wrote earlier this month, the future of the nascent oil and gas industry in the South American nation of Guyana is standing on shaky ground amid the ongoing controversy related to this year’s national elections. The situation only grew worse this week as U.S. Secretary […]

Investors In Russian Pipeline At Risk Of US Sanctions

(Reuters, 15.Jul.2020) — U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday warned investors in two Russian natural gas pipeline projects that they could face sanctions as the Trump administration seeks to curb the Kremlin’s economic leverage over Europe and Turkey. Pompeo told a news conference that European investors in the […]

US Sanctions On Iranian Tanker Captains

(Energy Analytics Institute, 24.Jun.2020) — The US, under Executive Order 13599, today said it is sanctioning five Iranian ship captains, who delivered approximately 1.5 million barrels of Iranian gasoline and related components to Venezuela in support of the illegitimate Maduro regime. These individuals who headed five Iranian-flagged tankers – Clavel, […]

Russia Backs Venezuela In Fight Against US

(Newsweek, 24.Jun.2020) — Russia vowed to support Venezuela in its campaign to counter U.S.-backed regime change after the Pentagon sailed warships nearby in the Caribbean to challenge the Latin American country. On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called Venezuela his country’s “reliable friend both in Latin America and in […]

Crisis Stricken Venezuela Faces Mounting Pressure

(Oilprice.com, 6.Apr.2020) — Over the past weeks, the Trump Administration has tightened the noose around Nicolas Maduro’s regime, increasing pressure on the country sitting on top of the world’s largest oil reserves. Venezuela is already reeling from a years-long economic disaster that has slashed its crude oil production in recent […]

U.S. Sanctions Chinese Oil Buyer On Alleged Violations

(Reuters, 23.Jul.2019) — The United States has sanctioned Chinese state-run energy company Zhuhai Zhenrong Co Ltd for allegedly violating restrictions imposed on Iran’s oil sector, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a speech on Monday. “We’ve said that we will sanction any sanctionable behavior, and we mean it,” […]