OIL: US Reviewing Consequences for Venezuela After Maduro Fails to Release Prisoners

US officials are reviewing potential consequences after Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro missed the agreed end of November deadline to release detained Americans according to National Security Council spokesman John Kirby on Sunday in a CBS interview.

• “We were extremely concerned that they didn’t take those two extra steps — release of political prisoners and getting our wrongfully detained Americans home,” Kirby said.
• The US will “reverse the steps we have taken” if Venezuela fails to deliver, Anthony Blinken said last month – referring to the eased oil and gas sanctions.
• Venezuela’s government and a faction of the opposition have agreed on a process through which aspiring presidential candidates who were banned from running for office can attempt to get that decision reversed last week.
• It is unclear if this measure is suitable to satisfy US requirements either, again risking sanctions on Venezuelan oil and gas being reimposed.