Elliott Abrams revealed that Venezuelan crude oil production "steadily drops"

The US Special Representative for Venezuela, Elliott Abrams, linked the future of Nicolás Maduro's regime to the the performance PDVSA, the state oil company sanctioned by the United States: "Venezuela has reduced its production of oil, before producing three million, it now produces one million, it will lower its production, it may take a few month".

The United States Special Representative for Venezuela said Friday that South America's oil exports have steadily declined to about 50,000 barrels a month and this production could fall to less than a million barrels a day from here a month or two.

"They are heading for a million now, and in a month or two they will be less than a million barrels a day," said the US envoy at a press conference, adding that the decline in recent days could be due in part to the power outages. "

Oil production in the OPEC member country has fallen over the last two decades, from over 3 million bpd at the beginning of the century to between 1.2 and 1.4 million bpd at the end of the century. 2018. Most of the crude it produces now is heavy or very heavy.

"It's a big drop," Abrams added. in front of the reporters on the downward trend of oil exports from the South American country, Caracas' main source of income.

"The power outage will shorten the longevity of the regime," he added, pointing out that "the longer the regime stays in place, the more the economy will go badly and the Venezuelans will see that it will there is no decent future ".

Abrams for his part pointed out that the staff of the American Embbady in Caracas, who left the country on Thursday, is already in Washington and that he will meet "this afternoon" the secretary of the US Embbady. State, Mike Pompeo.

Abrams also took the opportunity to congratulate Ricardo Hausmann, emissary of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó, proclaimed President of Venezuela in January, after being approved today as the country's representative by the Board of Directors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

"The most important is that Hausmann works with the IDB for a post-Maduro Venezuela. The IDB will play a leading role in the recovery of the Venezuelan economy, particularly in the energy and electricity sector. Now he can formally represent Venezuela, which will be much better, Abrams said.

The IDB thus becomes the first international financial institution to recognize a Guaidó envoy.

For the moment, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB) have avoided officially recognizing Guaidó, pointing out that the situation is still fluid.

More than fifty countries, including the United States, have recognized Mr. Guaidó as the legitimate president of Venezuela after his proclamation at the head of the state after considering the taking of an illegitimate mandate for a second term of President Nicolás Maduro on 10 January. .