Thread by @venanalysis

The US Treasury Department issued a license today on its Venezuela sanctions package authorizing the exportation or reexportation of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to Venezuela through July 8, 2022. However, the measure having a positive impact is far from a given (thread)

LPG's main use in Venezuela is as cooking gas. Severe shortages as a result of US sanctions have forced many people to resort to wood for cooking, adding extra difficulties in day-to-day life, health issues and causing deforestation

So on the surface, if the measure allows Vzla to address these shortages it will be a welcome step from the Biden administration. It is also the first sign that Washington is listening to the growing chorus denouncing sanctions for what they are: murderous collective punishment

That being said, the license blocks the gov't and PDVSA from paying with petroleum products or through other blocked companies. Therefore, if PDVSA cannot access financial markets and cannot do swap agreements, how the hell is it supposed to pay for LPG???

So we'll keep optimism that it might be a sign of more (actual) sanctions relief or that a loophole will emerge. Because on the surface this is like saying "you can buy from this store but we don't accept your currency and won't let anyone pay for you" #SanctionsKill

As always, count on the corporate media not to raise these points, but kudos as always to Reuters. In its attempt to justify sanctions it brings up the reheated unproven (false) "election rigging" accusations. But that's not the best part! (cont)

reuters.com/business/energ…

The delusional cherry on top of the American exceptionalism cake is this bit: "The Biden admin. has sought more input [...] as it seeks to put the country on a path to fair elections."

As if it was up to a murderous, decadent empire to put anyone "on a path to fair elections"!