Elliott Abrams to meet with Portuguese and Spanish delegates to discuss the possible asylum of Chavez officials

United States delegate to Venezuela Elliott Abrams to meet Portuguese and Spanish officials in Lisbon and Madrid from April 9 to 11 to discuss the worsening situation in Venezuelasaid Monday the state department in a statement.

The meetings will continue negotiations that go back to mid-March, when the US government confirmed the existence of "conversations" with the Spanish authorities about the possibility that Spain gives exile to Chavez officials who leave the regime of Nicolás Maduro.

"We had conversations with Spain, but I would not say we made a request, and they gave an answer, we certainly had conversations, we had them with them (Spain) and with a few other places, "he said. then Abrams at a press conference.

The purpose of the discussions is to anticipate a hypothetical scenario in which officials decide to leave Maduro to facilitate a "transition" in recognition of the leader of the opposition, Juan Guaidó, as interim president of Venezuela, explained the diplomat.

"Maybe they prefer to go to Cuba or Russia, but there are other places, and that's why we will continue to have these conversations," he said. .

The United States, Portugal and Spain support a transition led by Venezuela towards free and democratic elections. The three countries pledged to seek the restoration of democracy in the Caribbean country, as stated in its constitution and reflected in the actions of the Acting President and the National Assembly.

The administration of President Donald Trump has increased pressure on Nicolás Maduro on Friday by imposing sanctions against two companies and 34 cargo ships dedicated to transport oil from Venezuela to Cuba.

In an act in Houston, Texas, in which he announced the sanctions, Vice President Mike Pence badured the United States to continue to exercise "all economic and diplomatic pressure" against the Maduro government and insisted that "all the options they are on the table", including the army, to bring out the Venezuelan president of power.