The regime of Nicolás Maduro transfers the account of oil sales to a Russian bank

The state oil company Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) informed the presidents of joint ventures that will receive the money from oil exports to a new bank account of the Russian institution Gazprombank so escape the sanctions imposed by the United States.

According to a document to which the agency would have had access Reutersand two sources familiar with the subject, the Companies where PDVSA is present in the Orinoco belt, in partnership with oil companies such as the US Chevron, the French Total and the Norwegian Equinor, they must inform their customers that they will pay in dollars or euros on this bank account in Moscow.

The order has been recorded in a letter signed by PDVSA VP FinanceFernando de Quintal of February 8th.

Following the financial sanctions imposed in January by the administration of Donald Trump on the Venezuelan State, Foreign partners must also formally confirm to PDVSA that they will continue to participate in the projects, sources in the oil sector said..

The measures imposed by the US government have left dozens of ships loaded with crude oil stranded outside Venezuelan ports.

In addition, they take PDVSA for stop the production and improvement of crude oil in Petrocedeño project, where Equinor and Total participate, because of the lack of thinners imported from the United Statessaid two other sources close to the decision.

Venezuela's black gold is heavy, which is why Caracas needs to refine some of it in the United States and import gasoline from that country.

But the White House has vetoed the state oil company PDVSA, banning it from trading with US entities and blocking $ 7 billion worth of badets abroad. At the same time, he provides Guaidó with control of Venezuelan bank accounts in the United States.

Until now, 80% of the liquidity from the sale of Venezuelan oil is the product of trade relations with the United States.. "If there is no rapid political change, we will have serious fuel problems," said Asdrúbal Oliveros, director of the firm Ecobadítica.

PDVSA did not immediately respond to a request for information.

(With information from Reuters)