The United States urged China to cut economic ties with the Maduro regime

US Special Representative for Venezuela, Elliott AbramsHe said this Friday at EFE that his government has urged China and oil companies around the world to sever their economic ties with the executive of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who is facing numerous sanctions.

Abrams He explained that he himself had met with the Chinese ambbadador to the United States, Cui Tiankai, and that the US ambbadador to China, Terry Branstad, had also met several times with representatives of the United States. Asian country on economic relations between Beijing and Caracas.

"We discussed with China about its economic and financial relations with Venezuela.The main message was very simple: they have investments, trade and loans that they will never recover, this regime destroys the economy. Venezuela's economy. "he said Abrams.

China is the main creditor of Maduro: over the past decade, it has lent nearly 62 billion dollars, one third (20 billion) remains pending payment, according to a database of the University of Boston and the center of thought inter-American dialogue.

The Maduro government pays part of this oil debt to China, which in 2018 was its third largest buyer of crude oil (behind the United States and India) with about 332,000 barrels a day.

according to AbramsThe United States is evaluating various "diplomatic means" to prevent Maduro from continuing to "steal" Venezuelans.

Washington has advised oil companies around the world to sever ties with Maduro, because "more sanctions" could come from the United States.

"We," he said Abrams– we told the players in the oil industry, in some cases to carriers and insurers, in others, to governments and oil companies, that there are many sanctions in Venezuela and that There will be more, so be careful! "

"In some cases, they violate the sanctions, in others they are not yet there, but very close. We urge you not to get involved in this network, pay attention to what they do. And of course, we urged them to stop trading with oil that belongs to the Venezuelan people and that the regime is wasting money, "he added.

The United States was Venezuela's largest oil buyer, but in January they imposed sanctions on the state-owned oil company Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA). The Maduro government therefore stopped receiving these revenues, which had become one of the main sources of oil. currency for the vaults of the Venezuelan state.

This US decision came after the January 23 proclamation of opposition leader Juan Guaidó, interim president of Venezuela, ruling that the re-election of Maduro in May 2018 was illegitimate in unrecognized elections. opposition and being part of the international community.

The United States was the first country in the world to recognize Guaidó as president and was followed by fifty countries, while Maduro retains support from Russia and China, among others.